NARRATIVE 

OF  A  TOUR 

FROM  THE  STATE  OF  INDIANA 

TO  THE 

OREGON  TERRITORY 

IN  THE  YEARS  1841-2 
By  JOSEPH  WILLIAMS 


With  an  Introduction  by 
JAMES  C.  BELL,  Jr. 


NEW  YORK 

THE  CADMUS  BOOK    SHOP 
1921 


One  of  an  edition  of  two 
dred  and    fifty    copies    printed 
from  type  and  type  distributed. 


Press 

Standard  Book  Company 
Manchester,  N.  H. 


Bancroft  Library 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  book  here  published  for  the  first  time  is  the 
narrative  of  a  traveler  who  accompanied  the  first 
emigrants  from  the  United  States  to  the  Pacific 
Coast  in  1841.  It  was  printed  for  the  author  in 
1843  and  is  practically  unknown  to  scholars  or  the 
collectors  of  books  relating  to  the  history  of  west- 
ern America.  Its  importance  to  any  who  are  inter- 
ested in  this  phase  of  the  development  of  the 
United  States  will  be  evident,  if  for  a  moment  we 
consider  certain  aspects  of  the  times  in  which  the 
writer  lived. 

It  is  a  truism  to  say  that  most  Americans  enjoy 
travel,  and  indulge  themselves  in  this  form  of 
amusement  to  an  extreme  degree.  The  glamor  of  a 
journey,  the  thought  of  seeing  new  places,  rather 
than  the  discomfort  and  not  infrequent  hardships, 
fill  the  minds  of  all  would-be  travelers;  nor  will 
the  experience  of  others  often  deter  those  who 
have  set  their  hearts  upon  visiting  far  places  about 
which  rumor  has  been  weaving  bright  illusions. 
The  desire  for  travel,  mere  travel  for  its  own  sake, 
without  other  aim  than  that  of  satisfying  our  curi- 
osity, is  general  among  all  classes  of  the  American 
people,  as  one  may  prove  by  glancing  at  the  faces 
upon  the  sightseeing  buses  of  any  city  street.  What 
is,  perhaps,  not  so  generally  realized  is  the  fact  that 
this  longing  to  visit  new  and  distant  places,  is  a 
very  old  one  in  America;  one  frequently  gratified 


4  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

by  all  sorts  of  people  in  an  earlier  day  when  travel 
was  neither  luxurious  nor  safe. 

The  book  before  us  is  the  account  of  a  traveler  to 
the  Pacific  Coast  long  before  railway  and  automo- 
bile made  travel  convenient  for  the  tourist.  It  was 
the  day  when  goods  were  moved  by  canal  boat  or 
raft,  and  passengers  journeyed,  either  by  "elegant" 
river  steamers,  or  in  stage  coaches,  which  had  diffi- 
culty in  moving  through  muddy  roads,  that  were 
described  by  Charles  Dickens  as  "having  no  vari- 
ety but  in  depth."  A  few  railways  had  been  con- 
structed between  nearby  cities,  and  the  building  of 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  the  first  con- 
ceived for  the  purpose  of  connecting  two  impor- 
tant districts  of  the  United  States,  had  been  under- 
taken. It  was  the  day  when  people  thought  of 
transportation  in  terms  of  canals,  rather  than  rail- 
ways, while  the  idea  of  paved  highways  was  a  mat- 
ter for  future  concern. 

It  was  also  the  day  before  the  country  became 
thickly  populated;  settlement  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley  in  1840  was  confined  almost  exclusively  to 
the  neighborhood  of  navigable  streams;  the  fron- 
tier was  the  Missouri  River.  New  Englanders 
were  settling  on  the  rich  Illinois  prairies,  farmers 
from  the  north  European  countries  were  just  be- 
ginning to  cultivate  the  rolling  hills  of  Iowa  and 
Wisconsin,  which  had  been  recently  surveyed  by 
the  government  and  thrown  open  to  settlement. 
Beyond  the  frontier  lay  the  open  prairie  and  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  west  of  which  was  the  little 
known  region  called  "the  great  American  desert." 
Many  warlike  tribes  inhabited  this  vast  stretch  of 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

country,  whose  only  contact  with  civilization  came 
through  the  occasional  missionary  and  the  fearless 
trapper. 

The  trappers  searched  every  mountain  stream 
for  the  beaver  skins  which  were  used  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  gentlemen's  hats ;  but  they  rarely  ven- 
tured into  the  great  desert  beyond  the  Rocky 
Mountains  as  the  game  upon  which  man  lived  did 
not  exist  in  the  sage  brush  country.  No  other  fur- 
bearing  animal  was  so  much  sought  as  the  beaver, 
for  the  possession  of  a  fur  coat  was  not  thought  a 
mark  of  wealth  and  distinction  among  occidental 
peoples  of  that  day. 

The  tourist  attractions  of  the  United  States 
about  1840  were  rather  limited  for  a  resident  of 
Napoleon,  Ripley  County,  Indiana;  a  summer 
traveler  might  take  the  monotonous  and  sultry 
boat  trip  down  the  Ohio  to  St.  Louis,  or  go  by 
stage  to  Niagara  Falls.  At  this  latter  spot  of  scenic 
grandeur,  the  tourist's  soul  would  be  stirred  by  the 
roaring  of  the  waters,  but  there  were  no  inter- 
mediate points  of  interest  to  relieve  the  tedium  of 
the  journey.  Aside  from  this,  there  was  little  to 
do  except  stay  home  and  raise  more  grain  than  a 
farmer  could  profitably  sell. 

There  was,  however,  another  alternative  for  a 
man  of  sixty-four  years  who  desired  to  preach  to 
others  and  see  the  country  as  well.  He  might  go  to 
the  Pacific  Coast  by  a  route  which  was  literally 
teeming  with  the  varied  and  fantastic  wonders  of 
nature.  Oregon  was  occasionally  visited  by  fur 
traders  and  missionaries,  while  the  peaceful  ranch 
life  of  the  Mexicans  in  California  was  sometimes 


6  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

disturbed  by  trappers  and  horse  thieves  from  Mis- 
souri. It  mattered  little  that  almost  two  thousand 
miles  of  prairie,  mountain  and  desert  separated 
the  border  towns  of  Independence  and  Westport, 
Missouri,  from  the  settlements  of  Oregon  and  Cal- 
ifornia. 

In  the  Willamette  Valley  of  Oregon,  near  its 
junction  with  the  lower  Columbia  River,  were  a  few 
farms  cultivated  by  New  England  missionaries  and 
French  Canadians,  old  servants  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company.  From  San  Diego  to  the  Bay  of 
San  Francisco  were  the  scattered  missions  of 
Spanish  Franciscans,  who  were  the  first  to  carry 
European  civilization  to  California.  Near  the 
Pacific  Coast  were  vast  stretches  of  rich  agricul- 
tural lands  inviting  cultivation.  In  Oregon  the 
coast  natives  were  rapidly  disappearing;  while  in 
California  the  Indians  supplied  labor  under  the 
economic  system  controlled  by  the  Mexicans.  Such 
was  the  population  and  prospects  of  the  habitable 
region  along  the  western  edge  of  this  continent 
which  has  since  become  part  of  the  United  States. 

Undoubtedly  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  make  the 
overland  trip  on  horseback,  if  all  the  travelers  of 
a  season  would  stick  together  so  as  to  afford  each 
other  mutual  protection  from  the  plains'  Indians. 
Money,  after  the  purchase  of  horses  and  equip- 
ment, was  of  little  use,  though  of  relatively  high 
value.  Food  could  be  secured  by  the  use  of  the 
rifle,  water  was  free  and  plentiful,  even  on  the  des- 
ert, while  the  stars  made  an  excellent  covering  be- 
neath which  to  sleep  soundly.  Thus  were  the  phy- 
sical wants  of  man  easily  satisfied; — the  really 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

necessary  qualities  for  such  a  journey  were  a  mind 
strongly  set  upon  going  and  perfect  "trust  in  the 
God  of  heaven."  Both  of  these  spiritual  qualities 
were  the  possession  of  old  Joseph  Williams  in  very 
large  measure,  as  the  reader  will  presently  learn. 

An  eager  interest  in  the  western- facing  shore  be- 
yond the  Stoney  Mountains,  as  the  great  chain  of 
the  Rockies  was  at  first  called,  had  long  been  char- 
acteristic of  the  residents  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
Before,  and  during  the  Revolution,  French  and 
Spanish  merchants  of  old  St.  Louis  conducted  a 
trade  with  the  Missouri  River  Indians  and  heard 
from  them  about  the  mountain  region.  Thomas 
Jefferson  dreamt  of  the  exploration  and  the  possi- 
ble future  acquisition  of  territory  in  that  direction, 
years  before  the  population  of  his  country  had 
reached  the  Mississippi  River,  which  was  the  new 
Republic's  western  boundary. 

In  1803  President  Jefferson  found  the  opportu- 
nity to  fulfill  his  dreams.  By  the  purchase  of 
Louisiana  he  accomplished  the  large  expansion  of 
the  United  States;  just  how  large  was  a  matter 
of  conjecture,  but  at  the  time  of  little  importance. 
General  William  Clark,  leader  of  the  most  impor- 
tant of  the  several  expeditions  sent  by  the  Presi- 
dent to  explore  the  new  territory,  was  directed  to 
proceed  up  the  Missouri,  cross  the  mountains  to 
Oregon,  and  seek  a  water  communication  with  the 
Pacific.  The  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition  could  not 
find  any  route  practicable  for  such  communication, 
nor  did  the  Indians  know  of  any.  It  was  Ramsay 
Crooks,  director  of  the  private  enterprise  sup- 
ported by  John  Jacob  Astor,  who  discovered  in 


8  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

1813  a  practicable  route  of  communication  across 
the  mountains,  but  it  was  not  a  water  route.  Wash- 
ington Irving,  in  his  book  "Astoria,"  has  placed  the 
history  of  that  brave  attempt  to  found  a  base  for 
American  trade  upon  the  Pacific,  among  our  liter- 
ary and  scholarly  classics  for  all  time.  Whether  or 
not  the  overland  Astorians  were  the  actual  discov- 
erers of  the  famed  South  Pass,  through  the  conti- 
nental divide,  is  an  academic  question.  Their  im- 
portant contribution  to  knowledge  of  the  far  west 
was  the  fact  that  the  route  they  followed  presented 
no  obstruction  to  wagon  travel  and  was  the  short- 
est as  well.*  When  regular  communication  over- 
land became  an  accomplished  fact,  wagons  drawn 
by  horses  or  oxen  were  the  means  of  travel.  The 
route  used  by  the  emigrant  was  almost  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Astorians,  which  is  now  approximately 
paralleled  by  the  Union  Pacific-Oregon  Short  Line 
Railway  systems.  It  was  with  one  of  the  earliest 
of  the  wagon  parties  that  our  friend  Joseph  Wil- 
liams traveled  through  mountains,  which  a  com- 
panion described  as  so  high  and  rugged  that  "no 
person  could  ever  believe  that  wagons  ever  passed 
these  huge  eminences  of  nature,  did  he  not  witness 
it  with  his  own  eyes."t 

The  fur  traders  developed  the  highway  and 
made  safe  the  passage  for  the  missionaries  and 
occasional  adventure-seeking  persons  who  crossed 
the  Rocky  Mountains  in  the  decade  before  1840. 
The  people  of  St.  Louis,  where  General  Clark  and 

*Brackenridg-e,  H.  M.     Views  of  Louisiana,    (Pittsburg,  1814), 
p.  298. 

t  Bid  well,  John.     Trip  to  California  1841,  (n.  p.  n.  d.)  p.  9. 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

Ramsay  Crooks  lived,  maintained  a  lively  interest 
in  the  Pacific  Coast  and  its  development  from  the 
time  of  the  early  explorations  through  all  the 
period  of  the  mountain  fur  trade.  They  saw  in  the 
Overland  highway  that  led  from  their  door-steps 
a  route  by  which  the  trade  and  wealth  of  India, 
China  and  all  the  storied  Orient  might  some  day 
be  brought  to  their  city.  Reliable  information 
about  Oregon  was,  therefore,  of  importance  to  the 
Missourians,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  ob- 
tained it  will  be  evident  to  the  reader  of  this  narra- 
tive. 

Those  who  consider  the  cost  and  difficulty  of 
modern  transportation  may  smile  at  the  marvelous 
unconcern  of  these  people  regarding  the  distance 
or  the  means  of  communication.  But  the  smile  will 
quickly  fade  when  we  realize  that  Joseph  Williams 
in  his  sixty-fourth  year  started  out  alone  to  cross 
the  prairies  with  not  much  else  than  his  faith  in 
God.  Strange!  yet  he  fulfilled  the  prediction  of  a 
missionary  of  just  five  years  before  that  "the  time 
may  not  be  far  distant,  when  trips  will  be  made 
across  the  continent,  as  they  have  been  made  to 
Niagara  Falls,  to  see  nature's  wonders."* 

A  word  must  be  said  about  the  "Oregon  terri- 
tory," to  which  our  elderly  friend  journeyed.  In 
1841  it  was  not  a  territory  of  the  United  States  in 
the  legal  sense  of  the  term.  Rather  it  was  a  geo- 
graphical expression  covering  a  vast  extent  of 
country  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  north  from 
the  California  border  to  the  Russian  possessions  in 

*Parker,  Rev.  Samuel.    Journal  of  an  Exploring  Tour  beyond 
the  Bocky  Mountains,  (Ithaca,  1838'),  p.  73. 


10  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

Alaska, — a  region  now  embraced  in  the  political 
subdivisions  of  Washington,  Oregon,  Idaho,  and 
parts  of  Wyoming,  Montana  and  British  Colum- 
bia. Its  discovery,  even  now,  after  the  patient  re- 
searches of  many  historical  scholars,  is  largely  a 
matter  of  conjecture.  Its  full  exploration  was  the 
work  of  private  individuals,  the  fur  traders  of 
many  nationalities  who  exploited  its  natural  re- 
sources before  civilized  governments  laid  any 
claim  to  sovereignty  over  the  rich  and  varied  re- 
gion. 

Under  the  firm  and  far-seeing  guidance  of  John 
Quincy  Adams,  when  that  gentleman  was  Secre- 
tary of  State,  Spain  and  Russia  were  eliminated 
as  claimants  to  the  Oregon  territory,  and  the  issue 
of  political  sovereignty  squarely  joined  with  Great 
Britain,  whose  real  interests  in  that  part  of  the 
world  were  nearly  equal  to  those  of  the  United 
States.  As  it  was  found  impossible  to  agree  upon 
a  compromise  whereby  the  territory  could  be 
equally  divided,  a  convention  permitting  the  joint 
occupancy  and  commercial  use  of  the  whole,  by  the 
nationals  of  both  countries  was  entered  into  in 
1818.  This  allowed  the  fur  traders  to  carry  on 
their  business  pending  a  time  when  agricultural 
development,  requiring  the  definition  of  real  prop- 
erty rights,  should  compel  the  settlement  of  the 
questions  of  sovereignty  and  boundary  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

Under  the  joint  occupancy  convention  between 
1818  and  1846  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  one  of 
the  old  British  companies  chartered  for  the  pur- 
pose of  exploiting  the  wealth  of  distant  lands,  be- 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

came  so  firmly  established  in  Oregon  that  Ameri- 
can traders  were  never  able  to  offer  successful 
rivalry.  The  company  did  an  extensive  business  in 
all  the  region  which  is  now  the  Dominion  of  Can- 
ada; and,  by  using  the  navigable  Columbia  River, 
maintained  as  regular  communication  with  Mon- 
treal and  their  posts  on  Hudson's  Bay  as  they  did 
with  London  by  the  sea.  At  their  principal  Ore- 
gon post,  Fort  Vancouver,  a  hundred  miles  from 
the  motjth  of  the  Columbia,  Dr.  John  McLoughlin, 
chief  factor  for  the  country  west  of  the  Rockies, 
entertained  occasional  American  traders  who  came 
on  horseback  from  St.  Louis,  but  he  never  per- 
mitted them  to  gain  a  foothold  in  the  Oregon  terri- 
tory. Here  also  he  supplied  American  mission- 
aries, who  came  to  Christianize  the  Indians,  with 
whatever  was  necessary  for  founding  missions. 

The  mission  stations  of  the  great  desert  hinter- 
land, east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  were  sup- 
ported by  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions.  The  much  larger  enterprise 
of  the  Missionary  Board  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  was  located  in  the  rich  agricultural 
lands  to  the  west  of  these  mountains.  This  latter 
mission,  organized  in  1834  by  the  Rev.  Jason  Lee, 
and  considerably  reinforced  from  time  to  time,  is  the 
object  of  many  comments  by  our  traveler  who  had 
himself  been  an  itinerant  preacher  of  the  Church. 
It  is  not  known  whether  or  not  these  observations 
of  Joseph  Williams  came  to  the  notice  of  the  Mis- 
sion Board,  which  in  1844  recalled  Jason  Lee  as 
superintendent;  but  under  the  Rev.  George  Gary 
who  superseded  him  in  1844  "all  that  was  secular, 


12  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

and  not  essential  to  the  prosecution  of  the  mission, 
was  promptly  divorced  from  the  spiritual,"  as  the 
historian  of  the  missions  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  has  said.*  Williams  visited  this  mis- 
sion at  an  important  crisis  in  its  development, 
namely,  when  it  was  changing  from  an  Indian 
mission  to  one  adapted  to  the  spiritual  leadership 
of  a  mixed  international  settlement,  which  shortly 
became  wholly  American  in  character.  Therefore 
his  views  relative  to  the  activities  of  his  spiritual 
brethren  should  be  of  serious  interest  to  those  re- 
cent historians  of  the  mission  who  have  found  very 
little  first  hand  information  covering  this  period. 

Father  Pierre  Jean  de  Smet,  S.  J.,  one  of  the 
party  which  crossed  the  plains  in  1841,  was  at  the 
threshold  of  a  long  life  of  devoted  service  to  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Indians  which  has  made  his  name 
notable  among  missionaries.  From  his  letters  we 
gain  a  description  of  Joseph  Williams,  which 
throws  a  strong  light  upon  the  zeal  that  drove  our 
traveler  into  the  furthermost  part  of  America. 
"His  zeal  frequently  induced  him  to  dispute  with 
us,"  writes  the  Jesuit.  "It  was  not  difficult  to  show 
him  that  his  ideas,  with  the  exception  of  one,  were 
vague  and  fluctuating.  He  acknowledged  it  him- 
self; but  after  having  wandered  from  point  to 
point,  he  always  returned  to  his  favorite  tenet, 
which,  according  to  him,  was  the  fundamental 
principle  of  all  true  belief :  'that  the  love  of  God  is 
the  first  of  duties,  and  to  inculcate  it  we  must  be 
tolerant/  This  was  his  strongest  point  of  support, 

*Strickland,   Kev.  W.   P.    History     of    the    Missions    of    the 
Methodist   Episcopal  Church,    ('Cincinnati,   185>0),   p.   145. 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

the  foundation  of  all  his  reasoning,  and  the  stimu- 
lus of  his  zeal."*  This  zeal,  which  compelled  the 
author  of  this  narrative  to  preach  as  well  as  travel, 
is  precisely  the  characteristic  which  lifts  his  per- 
sonality from  the  commonplace  and  colors  with  in- 
teresting and  vivid  light  all  that  he  sees  and  tells  us 
of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants.  However,  this 
is  not  the  only  merit  of  his  pamphlet. 

Joseph  Williams  entered  upon  this  long  journey 
at  the  very  outset  of  the  great  emigrant  movement, 
which  peopled  California  and  Oregon  with  agricul- 
tural settlers  from  the  Mississippi  Valley.  Later 
the  discovery  of  gold  drew  a  horde  of  the  pictur- 
esque characters  of  Bret  Harte  into  the  far  west ; 
but  the  pioneers  were  of  a  different  quality. 

In  1841  the  first  band  of  emigrants  set  out  from 
the  Missouri  border  for  California  and  Oregon.  It 
was  a  small  emigration,  which  has  been  overshad- 
owed in  written  history  by.  the  much  larger  party 
of  two  years  later  (1843).  This  latter  emigration 
was  the  first  to  enlarge  the  trail  from  Fort  Hall  to 
the  Columbia  River  into  a  wagon  road,  and  it  has 
often  been  considered  as  the  opening  of  the  emi- 
grant movement.  In  reality,  however,  it  was  but 
the  full  flowering  of  that  spirit  which  the  pioneers 
of  1841  first  translated  into  action, — the  desire  to 
plant  a  colony  of  American  farmers  on  the  Pacific 
Coast. 

The  pioneers  were  the  men  who  sought,  not  ad- 
venture, but  homes  across  the  mountains;  the  men 

*De  'Smet,  p.  1 — Letters  and  Sketches:  with  a  narrative  of  a 
year's  residence  among  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains, (Philadelphia,  1843),  p.  97. 


14:          TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

who  traveled  with  wife  and  children,  household 
goods  and  household  gods  in  the  white-topped 
wagons.  These  men  were  essaying  the  great  ad- 
venture of  treading  out  the  long  overland  high- 
way. These  were  the  men  and  women  who  were 
to  found  the  American  commonwealths  on  the 
Pacific,  and  the  first  of  them  were  the  companions 
of  Joseph  Williams. 

The  intense  beauty  of  the  country  through  which 
they  traveled  attracted  these  pioneers  as  strongly 
as  it  has  their  children  of  the  present  generation. 
They  wrote  of  their  emotions  in  the  same  exalted 
phrases.  There  was  more  than  one  high  divide  to 
be  traversed,  while  occasionally  great  bluffs  which 
shut  in  the  valleys  must  be  crossed.  "But  the  pleas- 
ing view  we  had  from  their  top,  just  as  the  sun  was 
going  to  sleep  behind  the  western  mountains,  paid 
us  for  all  our  trouble.  A  most  beautiful  landscape 
presented  itself  to  view,  the  rugged  summits  of 
almost  every  shape  were  fantastically  pictured 
upon  the  sky,  bounding  the  western  horizon,  a 
beautiful  lake  was  seen  to  the  south,  whose  surface 
was  fancifully  mottled  with  numerous  islands, 
while  the  river  meandered  proudly  through  the  val- 
ley among  willows  and  scattering  cotton-woods, 
till  it  disappeared  among  the  hills  in  the  shades  of 
evening."*  These  words  which  describe  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  the  Bear  River  valley, 
show  that  the  beauty  of  the  western  mountains  and 
deserts  was  as  strong  an  attraction  to  the  restless 
pioneers,  as  the  much  talked  of  wonders  of  nature 

*Bidwell,  J.    Op.  cit.  p.  9. 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

which  were  to  be  seen  along  the  route.  Most  of  the 
wonders  are  still  to  be  found  described  in  the  rail- 
way guide  book,  but  usually  the  limited  passes  at 
night,  or  they  lie  too  far  from  the  line  to  be  seen  to 
advantage. 

There  is  but  a  single  copy  of  John  Bidwell's 
record  entitled,  "Trip  to  California,  1841,"  known 
at  this  time.  It  is  part  of  the  famous  Bancroft  col- 
lection in  the  Library  of  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia. Bidwell  became  a  well-known  person  in 
the  state  he  helped  to  found,  and  wrote  in  later 
years  several  engaging  reminiscences  of  pioneer 
days  which  appeared  in  the  Century  Magazine  for 
1890-1891  (Vol.  XIX,  N.  S.).  Father  De  Smet,  the 
only  other  traveler  with  the  emigration  of  1841, 
whose  impressions  are  known  to  scholars,  pub- 
lished a  volume  of  "Letters  and  Sketches"  (Phila- 
delphia, 1843).  Oddly  enough,  these  three  writers, 
— De  Smet,  Bidwell,  and  Williams,  separated  be- 
fore they  had  traversed  two-thirds  of  the  journey, 
to  pursue  their  routes  toward  different  goals.  De 
Smet  turned  north  at  Fort  Hall  to  join  the  Flat- 
head  Indians  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Columbia ; 
Bidwell  left  the  party  on  Bear  River  to  traverse 
the  deserts  west  of  Salt  Lake  and  find  his  way 
across  the  Sierra  Nevada  to  the  open  Sacramento 
valley ;  while  Williams,  with  about  twenty-five 
others,  made  his  way  over  the  Snake  Rivet-desert 
and  Blue  Mountains  to  the  Oregon  settlements 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette  River.  Thus 
our  record  of  this  most  important  emigration  is 
complete. 

Joseph  Williams'  narrative  of  his  trip  to  Ore- 


16     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

gon  was  privately  printed  in  Cincinnati  in  1843 — 
that  is  a  year  before  the  cry  of  "54°  40'  or  fight," 
became  a  political  catchword,  and  the  movement 
for  the  expansion  of  the  United  States,  which  was 
directed  by  James  K.  Polk  when  he  became  presi- 
dent, had  taken  shape.  In  fact  it  appeared  just  at 
the  time  when  discussion  of  the  long  slumbering 
question  of  sovereignty  over  Oregon  was  renewed 
between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  From 
its  extreme  rarity  it  is  just  to  say  that  the  book  is 
now  published  for  the  first  time.  Only  two  copies 
of  the  book  are  known  today : — one  is  in  the  private 
collection  of  Mr.  Henry  R.  Wagner  of  Berkeley, 
California,  while  the  other  is  in  the  Library  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society,  to  which  the  writer 
of  this  preface  is  indebted  for  permission  to  make 
a  photostat  copy. 

The  book  is  important,  not  only  because  it 
is  practically  unknown  even  to  collectors,  but  be- 
cause of  the  light  it  throws  upon  some  mooted 
points  of  historical  interest,  which  are  not  purely 
academic.  Writers  of  Oregon  history  have  sought 
light  upon  the  degree  of  difficulty  experienced  by 
those  earliest  pioneers  who  enlarged  the  overland 
pack-horse  trail  into  the  long  wagon  road  of  the 
emigrants;  here  is  one  who  assisted  in  that  task 
and  who  tells  us  just  how  much  their  travel  was  de- 
layed thereby.  The  question  of  the  obstacles  thrown 
in  the  way  of  emigrants  from  the  States  by  the 
agents  of  the  great  English  fur  monopoly,  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company,  in  this,  the  opening  years 
of  the  movement,  is  another  of  those  mooted  points, 
upon  which  this  narrator  throws  a  clear  light.  In 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

this  connection,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  say  that 
his  opinion  of  the  company's  chief  factor,  Dr. 
John  McLoughlin,  is  not  generally  shared  by  others 
who  knew  him  at  the  time.  Of  the  various  mis- 
sions, especially  the  Methodist,  their  personnel  and 
their  work  in  behalf  of  the  Indians,  our  elderly 
friend  has  much  to  say.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  until  the  coming  of  the  great  migration  of 
1843,  these  missionaries  were  the  principal  repre- 
sentatives of  American  citizenship  in  the  Oregon 
Territory.  To  the  usually  high  character  of  that 
citizenship,  in  the  relations  of  individuals  one  to 
another  in  this  land  beyond  the  territorial  jurisdic- 
tion of  their  government,  Joseph  Williams  gives 
eloquent  testimony,  for  he  was  sensitive  to  all  that 
related  to  the  spiritual  side  of  life.  Moreover,  he 
points  out  the  diversity  of  interest  among  the  four 
classes  of  whites  who  then  inhabited  the  far  North- 
west, and  who  gave  to  its  society  that  "happy" 
tone,  which  still  makes  Oregon  so  desirable  a  place 
wherein  to  live. 

Williams  did  not  overlook  some  of  the  distinct- 
ive features  of  primitive  society  among  the  na- 
tives, though  his  remarks  are  somewhat  colored  by 
his  sense  of  the  "depravity  of  the  heathen."  Espe- 
cially does  he  praise  the  wealth  and  progress  of 
those  Indians  who  inhabited  the  great  interior 
basin  of  the  Columbia,  which  he  visited  in  the 
autumn  and  again  in  the  spring  season.  He  saw 
its  possibilities  for  future  development  by  men  of 
'his  own  kind; — "we  traveled  through  rich  plains, 
and  the  mountains  lay  on  our  right  hand,  covered 
with  pine  trees.  All  through  this  country  good 


18     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

mill  sites  abound."  One  of  these  spots,  the  great 
plain  on  the  east  of  Salt  Lake,  which  Williams 
thought  well  adapted  for  settlement  was  selected 
only  three  years  after  by  the  Mormons,  when  they 
were  compelled  to  leave  Missouri  and  Illinois  to 
seek  a  new  and  lonely  home  across  the  distant 
mountains.  Surely,  this  man,  whose  attention  was 
so  earnestly  fixed  upon  the  dominant  interests  of 
life — the  propagation  of  the  faith  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil,  may  be  called  the  Prophet  of  the 
Inland  Empire.  He  possessed  also  a  certain  jour- 
nalistic instinct,  as  appears  from  the  number  of 
rather  sordid  happenings,  which  he  recounts  in 
great  detail. 

Sportsmen  and  all  lovers  of  nature's  beauty  who 
have  traveled  the  high  passes  of  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains in  the  present  state  of  Colorado  may  find  an 
interest  in  the  account  of  how  the  old  preacher, 
with  three  or  four  companions,  negotiated  these 
rough  and  dangerous  mountain  trails.  Many  diffi- 
culties he  surmounted  and  not  a  few  were  such  as 
would  hinder  hardier  men;  yet  he  complains  very 
little  of  his  discomforts,  and  is  more  discouraged 
by  the  "wickedness"  of  his  companions  than  all  the 
hardship  to  which  he  was  subjected.  Those  were 
days  of  good  hunting — bear  and  buffalo,  antelope 
and  elk. 

Through  turning  from  the  main  Oregon  route 
by  which  he  had  traveled  west,  our  friend  on  his 
return  journey  saw  nearly  all  the  posts  or  forts  of 
the  fur  traders  in  this  wide  mountain  district. 
Most  interesting  of  all  is  his  visit  to  the  Indian 
Pueblo  of  Taos,  where  the  hunters  often  wintered. 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

The  Mexicans  never  succeeded  in  greatly  altering 
its  people's  way  of  living,  and  it  remains  today  a 
quaint  and  lovely  mecca  of  a  society  of  artists,  who 
seek  there  that  earthy  inspiration  which  is  so  nearly 
the  font  of  artistic  life.  Joseph  Williams  describes 
its  life  in  considerable  and  sympathetic  detail, 
especially  in  such  things  as  touched  the  productiv- 
ity of  the  soil  and  the  means  of  its  cultivation. 

It  will  not  surprise  the  reader  to  know  that  once 
back  in  St.  Louis  our  friend  was  hospitably  enter- 
tained by  William  Sublette,  the  most  important 
partner  of  the  old  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company, 
whose  business  and  social  relations  reached  west- 
ward to  Oregon  and  eastward  to  England.  Here, 
too,  he  met  Col.  Thomas  Hart  Benton,  Missouri's 
foremost  Senator,  who  represented  western  inter- 
ests in  the  federal  government  during  thirty  years. 
It  was  well  that  they  met,  for  the  one  had  informa- 
tion of  value  to  impart,  while  the  other  took  a  lead- 
ing part  in  the  political  and  international  question 
which  soon  developed  over  the  status  of  the  Oregon 
territory. 

Nor  will  the  reader  be  surprised  to  learn  that 
our  hardy  friend,  now  sixty-six  years  of  age,  left 
the  party  with  which  he  returned  across  the  plains, 
to  conclude  his  journey  as  it  had  begun — alone, 
with  the  God  in  whom  he  had  put  his  trust.  It 
would  be  difficult  for  one  to  bear  stronger  witness 
to  his  faith,  or  the  power  of  the  Lord. 

JAMES  C.  BELL,  JR. 


NARRATIVE 


OF  A  TOUR 


FROM   THE   STATE  OF   INDIANA 


TO  THB 


OREGON     TERRITORY 


IN   THE   YEARS   1841-2 


BY   JOSEPH   WILLIAMS 


CIN  CIN  N  ATI  : 

PRINTED   FOR   THE   AUTHOR 

/.  B.  Wilson ,  Printer 
1843 


PREFACE. 


AT  the  earnest  request  of  my  friends,  I  have 
consented  to  publish  an  account  of  my  journey, 
from  my  residence  in  the  state  of  Indiana,  to  the 
Oregon  Territory.  The  information  contained  in 
my  Narrative  may  be  of  great  interest  to  those 
who  may  contemplate  emigrating  to  that  region, 
or  such  as  may  wish  to  explore  the  vast  west  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean. 

I  have  given  my  own  views  of  the  country  be- 
yond the  Rocky  Mountains;  and,  although  they 
may  not  agree  in  every  particular  with  the  opinions 
set  forth  by  other  travelers,  yet  I  have  tried  to  fol- 
low the  best  convictions  of  my  own  mind,  produced 
by  personal  observation,  and  the  best  information 
I  could  obtain  from  the  inhabitants  on  the  ground. 
As  to  the  correctness  of  my  opinions,  I  leave  that 
for  others  to  judge.  It  will  be  easily  perceived 
that  I  am  not  practiced  in  the  art  of  book-making; 
but  as  I  have  stated  facts,  in  my  own  plain  way, 
without  any  attempt  to  embellish  my  style,  I  hope 
the  reader  will  be  satisfied.  It  is  probable  that 
errors  will  be  discovered  in  the  orthography  of 
proper  names;  having  no  standard  authorities  at 
hand,  by  which  to  correct  my  spelling  of  them.  In 
most  cases,  I  have  given  those  names  according  to 

23 


24     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

the  usual  pronunciation  of  them  by  the  inhabitants 
of  that  region. 

I  am  a  native  of  Cumberland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania ;  was  raised  in  Virginia ;  am  now  in  my  sixty- 
sixth  year;  and  that  I  should  be  conducted  in 
safety,  and  be  sustained  through  all  dangers  and 
fatigues  of  so  long  a  journey,  at  my  advanced  age, 
is  matter  of  unfeigned  gratitude  to  that  God  who 
"preserveth  man  and  beast." 

JOSEPH  WILLIAMS. 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY 


APRIL  26th,  1841.  This  morning  I  started  from 
my  residence,  near  Napoleon,  Ripley  county,  Indi- 
ana, for  the  Oregon  Territory,  on  the  Columbia 
River,  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  though  many 
of  my  friends  tried  to  dissuade  me  from  going,  tell- 
ing me  of  the  many  dangers  and  difficulties  I  should 
have  to  go  through,  exposed  to  hostile  Indians  and 
the  wild  beasts,  and  also  on  account  of  my  advanced 
age,  being  at  this  time  in  my  64th  year.  But  my 
mind  leads  me  strongly  to  go;  I  want  to  preach  to 
the  people  there,  and  also  to  the  Indians,  as  well  as 
to  see  the  country.  I  try  to  put  my  trust  in  the  God 
of  heaven,  who  rules  the  earth,  and  seas,  and  mount- 
ains, and  the  savage  tribes,  and  all  the  wild  beasts 
of  the  forest,  and  the  storms,  and  all  the  poisonous 
vapors  of  the  earth  and  air ;  who  preserves  all  who 
put  their  trust  in  him.  My  soul  seems  wholly  re- 
signed to  his  will  in  all  things,  whether  to  live  or 
die,  to  prosper  or  suffer.  All  is  right  that  the  Lord 
doeth;  why  then  should  we  fear?  So  I  bade  my 
children  and  friends  farewell,  not  knowing  that  I 
should  ever  see  them  again  in  this  world.  Lord, 
keep  us  near  thee! 

That  night  I  reached  the  neighborhood  of  St. 

25 


26     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

Omer,  on  the  Flat  Rock  Creek.    The  next  night  I 
staid  at  brother  Rector's;  and  the  next  day,  soon 
after  I  started,  the  rain  began  to  fall  in  torrents — 
the  coldness  of  the  wind  and  rain  rendered  me  very 
uncomfortable.  This  day  I  passed  through  Indian- 
apolis, and  that  night  staid  at  Bridgeport.     Next 
morning  I  started  very  early,  the  cold  west  wind 
blowing  in  my  face,  and  at  night  reached  brother 
Messer's,  in  Putnam  county.     Next  day  attended 
to  some  temporal  business,  and  rested  my  horse. 
On  Sunday,  went  to  hear  brother  Belotte  preach,  at 
the  brick  meeting-house;    and   in    the    afternoon, 
tried  to   preach   myself   from   Ephesians   v,    14: 
"Awake,  thou  that  sleepest."     Staid  that  night  at 
brother   Clearwater's,    and   enjoyed  myself   very 
well.     Next  day  traveled  twenty-eight  miles,  and 
staid  at  brother  Daniel  Dickenson's,  a  Methodist 
preacher.    That  same  day,  had  a  short  controversy 
with  a  Campbellite   preacher    on   baptism.      Next 
day,  passed  through  Terrehaute,  staid  at  a   class- 
leader's,   having  traveled   thirty-three   miles   that 
day.      Next     day,    passed     several    small    towns. 
Preached  at  Woodbury  that  night,  on  the  waters 
of  Embarrass  River,  in  Illinois.     Staid  with  Mr. 
Needham,  where    I    slept    comfortably,    and    rose 
happy  in  the  morning.    This  dear  people  want  re- 
ligion ;  O  that  the  Lord  would  breathe  on  them  his 
Spirit's  influence,  and  make  them  Christians !  Next 
day  rode  thirty-three  miles,  and  staid  at  Mr.  Guy's. 
He  seems  much  of  a  gentleman,   and  his  wife  a 
kind-hearted  Methodist.  Next  morning,  started  out 
in  the  rain,  and  rode  to  Jacob  Tinker's,  where  I 
dined  and  fed  my  horse,  and  felt  very  comfortably. 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  27 

Started  on,  and  passed  through  Vandalia,  and  met 
a  very  solemn  procession,  going  to  bury  one  of  their 
respectable  citizens.  That  night  staid  at  brother 
Wollard's,  and  enjoyed  myself  very  well  He  is  a 
Methodist  traveling  preacher.  Next  day  rode  to 
brother  Miles',  and  the  day  following  went  to  hear 
brother  Wollard  preach,  and  exhorted  after  him. 
We  had  a  very  good  class  meeting.  There  was 
some  difficulty  in  the  Church  to  settle,  which  was 
soon  done.  That  night  I  tried  to  preach  at  brother 
Gorman's,  and  met  some  old  acquaintances  from 
Indiana.  Next  day  traveled  thirty  miles,  staid  at 
brother  Hadley's,  in  the  American  Bottom;  en- 
joyed myself  very  well.  Next  day  crossed  the 
Mississippi  River  at  St.  Louis,  in  company  with 
brother  Joseph  Oglesby. 

Here  I  learned  that  the  company  which  I  ex- 
pected to  join  was  broken  up.  I  then  went  on  to 
try  to  overtake  the  company  that  had  previously 
started  from  Independence,  in  Missouri;  rode 
twenty-three  miles,  and  that  night  staid  at  Alex- 
ander Ove's,  near  Baldwin.  After  I  laid  down, 
and  before  I  got  to  sleep,  I  was  called  up  to  go  and 
pray  for  a  woman  that  was  dying;  but  when  I  got 
there,  her  husband  was  not  willing  that  I  should 
pray  with  her.  I  then  returned  back  to  my  bed. 
Here  they  treated  me  very  kindly.  Next  day 
reached  Union,  where  I  staid  with  Dr.  Chids; 
preached  that  night  from  Ephesians  iv,  5:  "One 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism."  I  had  some  liberty 
in  preaching,  and  the  people  paid  good  attention, 
and  behaved  well.  Next  day  I  traveled  over  high, 
poor,  barren  and  stony  hills,  and  staid  at  Mr. 


28     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

M'Afee's;  endeavored  to  get  a  preaching  place, 
but  the  people  seemed  indifferent  about  it,  so  I  gave 
it  up.  These  looked  like  poor,  distressed  people. 
Next  morning  crossed  Gasconade  River,  and  after- 
wards the  Osage  River.  Here  I  was  mortified  to 
find  that  I  had  expended  all  my  money,  and  had  to 
sell  a  pair  of  saddle-bags  for  two  dollars.  Staid 
that  night  with  Esquire  Price.  Still  traveling  over 
poor  hills,  I  passed  next  day  through  Jefferson 
City.  Here  I  once  more  saw  the  Missouri  River, 
preached  that  night  at  brother  Michael  Barger's, 
to  a  small  congregation,  mostly  Baptists.  They  in- 
vited me  to  come  back,  which  I  promised  to  do. 
Next  day  had  a  tedious  travel  over  the  wide  and 
rich  prairies,  and  in  the  evening  passed  through 
Georgetown,  and  missed  my  way;  but  reached  the 
house  of  a  fine  old  man  and  woman,  who  were  not 
religious,  but  treated  me  very  kindly,  and  charged 
me  to  call  on  them  as  I  returned.  Next  day  trav- 
eled through  the  rich  prairies,  and  reached  War- 
rensburg,  in  Johnson  county.  I  went  to  brother 
Brown's,  and  asked  him  if  he  would  let  a  Methodist 
preacher  preach  there  that  night.  He  told  me  there 
was  an  appointment  made  there  already  for  the 
circuit  preacher,  who  asked  me  to  preach  in  his 
place.  I  did  so ;  we  had  a  comfortable  and  sociable 
time.  Next  day  I  rode  to  brother  M'Kine's,  a 
Methodist  preacher,  where  I  received  information 
that  the  company  at  Independence,  which  was 
going  to  the  Mountains,  had  already  started  ten 
days  before.  I  then  went  on  to  Independence  the 
next  day,  and  preached  there  that  night,  from 
Ephesians  iv,  5:  "One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  bap- 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  29 

tism,"  which  caused  some  of  the  people  to  stare  at 
me.  Here  brother  Ford  and  brother  Pertee  ear- 
nestly remonstrated  against  my  proceeding  any 
farther,  telling  me  that  I  never  would  be  able  to 
encounter  the  difficulties. 

I  rode  over,  the  next  morning,  to  Westport,  and 
finding  the  company  were  all  gone,  and  no  possi- 
bility of  overtaking  them,  with  much  pain  of  mind 
I  gave  up  going  any  farther,  and  knew  not  what  to 
do.  I  then  rode  across  to  the  Shawnee  mission, 
three  miles  from  Westport,  across  the  Missouri 
line,  and  there  I  met  brother  Greene,  presiding 
elder,  who  told  me  the  company,  about  four  days 
previous,  was  eighty  miles  ahead  of  me,  on  the 
Caw  River.  I  said  within  myself,  surely  the  Lord 
is  opening  my  way  to  go  on.  I  began  to  get  ready 
to  go  on,  but  could  not  get  half  prepared.  Bought 
some  powder  and  lead,  and  some  provision  and  a 
gun,  but  was  disappointed  in  getting  my  gun.  My 
feelings  were  much  harrowed  up  with  the  brethren 
trying  to  discourage  me,  and  keep  me  from  going 
to  the  Mountains.  One  of  the  preachers  told  me  it 
was  almost  presumptuous  for  so  old  a  man  as  I  to 
attempt  such  a  hazardous  journey,  and  added,  that 
he  had  awful  feelings  for  me  through  the  last 
night;  and  he  said,  so  had  some  of  the  rest.  Mr. 
Greene  said  there  was  a  possibility  of  my  return- 
ing, but  not  a  probability. 

I  started  out  on  Saturday,  with  brother  Johnson, 
a  missionary,  and  two  Indian  chiefs  of  the  Caw 
tribe.  We  reached,  that  night,  Wakloosa  Creek, 
and  camped  under  the  trees.  Brother  Johnson 
cooked  supper,  and  we  had  cakes  and  coffee.  We 


30  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

laid  down  to  sleep ;  the  thunder  and  lightning  could 
be  heard  and  seen,  and  the  wind  began  to  blow.  I 
was  somewhat  alarmed,  for  fear  of  the  trees  fall- 
ing on  us.  The  rain  soon  began,  and  the  wind 
ceased.  Then  I  soon  fell  asleep,  and  rested  well 
and  comfortably.  I  arose  next  morning  happy; 
bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul;  praise  him  who  takes 
care  of  us  in  the  desert ! 

This  day  we  traveled  through  extensive  rolling 
prairies,  with  some  few  skirts  of  timber.  We  rode 
forty-five  miles  that  day,  and  reached  brother 
Johnson's  mission.  Brother  and  sister  Johnson 
furnished  me  with  provision,  and  every  thing  that 
I  needed,  and  offered  to  do  any  thing  that  they 
could  for  me.  Brother  Johnson  has  died  since, 
and  I  doubt  not,  has  gone  to  heaven  to  reap  his  re- 
ward. I  shall  never  forget  their  kindness  to  me. 
Next  morning  I  started,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Brensill.  When  we  came  to  the  Caw  River,  the 
Indians  said  we  could  cross  it.  We  entered  in,  and 
the  water  ran  over  our  horses'  backs,  and  I  got  my 
provisions  wet.  We  inquired  of  the  Indians,  and 
they  told  us  the  company  was  ahead  about  four 
days'  journey,  and  they  gave  me  directions  and 
how  to  find  their  trail.  I  rode  about  seven  miles. 
I  was  then  alone,  about  9  o'clock;  and  being  about 
to  pass  through  the  territory  occupied  by  the 
Pawnee  tribe,  I  thought  of  what  they  told  me  about 
being  robbed  or  killed,  and  put  my  whip  to  my 
horse.  Passing  through  a  small  thicket  of  woods, 
I  saw  a  pishamore  lying  near  the  trail,  and  lit  down 
to  get  it,  when  I  saw  that  there  was  an  Indian's 
pack,  that  I  concluded  was  laid  there  to  decoy  me. 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  31 

I  then  sprang  upon  my  horse,  gave  him  the   whip, 
and  rode  till  dark.    This  day  traveled  about  forty 
miles,  and  came  to  a  willow  thicket;  tied  my  horse 
with  a  long  rope,  laid  down,   and   slept   till   next 
morning,  nothing  breaking  the  silence  of  the  night 
but  a  few  bull-frogs.    I  arose  and  returned  to  the 
road,  and  saw  some  fresh  horse  tracks  that  had 
been  made  during  the  night,  I  supposed  by  the  Indi- 
ans, who  had  been  following  me.     The  Caws  (or 
Kauzas)  told  me  that  the  Pawnees  were  a  bad  na- 
tion, and  that  they  had  a  battle  with  them;  that 
they  had  their  women  and  children  hid  in  a  thicket, 
whom  they  (the  Pawnees)  slaughtered  in  a  bar- 
barous manner.     I  can  hardly  describe  my  feel- 
ings as  I  was  traveling  alone,  up  Caw  (or  Kauzas) 
River.     Pursuing  my  journey  that  day,  I  tried  to 
give  myself  up  to  the  Lord.     I  could  scarcely  fol- 
low the  wagon  tracks,  the  ground  was  so  hard  in 
the  prairie.  I  had  almost  concluded,  at  last,  to  turn 
back,  and  got  down  on  my  knees,  and  asked  the 
Lord  whether  I  should  do  so  or  not.    These  words 
came  to  my  mind:  "The  Lord  shall  be  with  thee, 
and  no  hand  shall  harm  thee."    I  then  renewed  my 
resolution  to  go  on  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  believ- 
ing that  all  would  be  well,  and  that  I  should,  in  the 
end,  return  safely  home.     I  went  cheerfully  for 
some  time;  but   was   occasionally  perplexed   with 
doubts.    About  an  hour  before  sunset,  I  got  down 
off  my  horse,  and  prayed  again.    God  renewed  the 
promise,  and  I  got  up  and  started  on,  refreshed  in 
spirit,  and  with    renewed    courage,    thinking    all 
would  be  well ;  and  instead  of  sleeping  in  the  prai- 
rie, I  got  to  an  encampment  where  there  was  fire, 


32     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

and  plenty  of  wood,  and  good  water,  and  I  praised 
God  with  all  my  heart.  I  roasted  my  meat,  sweet- 
ened some  water,  and,  with  my  biscuits,  made  a 
hearty  supper;  laid  down  by  my  fire,  and  slept 
well  and  comfortably  till  morning.  A  little  dog 
that  the  company  had  left,  kept  around  the  camp, 
barking  and  howling. 

Next  morning  I  arose  quite  happy  in  my  soul, 
and  said,  "My  God  hath  preserved  me  hitherto,  and 
now  God  has  answered  my  prayer."  I  then  ate  my 
breakfast  and  started,  happy  in  my  soul.  I  crossed 
the  Vermillion  Creek,  and  arose  on  the  rolling  prai- 
rie. I  shouted  some  hours  over  these  beautiful 
plains.  No  fear  nor  trouble  came  near  me,  for  God 
had  given  me  so  many  glorious  promises,  that  I 
could  not  doubt  or  fear  for  a  moment.  Not  an 
Indian  appeared  that  day.  About  4  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  I  saw  the  company  about  four  miles 
ahead,  but  soon  lost  sight  of  them  again ;  and  com- 
ing to  the  place  where  the  company  had  stopped  to 
eat  dinner,  I  alighted,  and  let  my  horse  feed  awhile. 
At  this  place,  as  the  company  afterwards  told  me, 
about  two  hundred  Indians  had  been  seen  only  an 
hour  before.  They  had  sometimes  hung  on  the  rear 
of  the  company,  and  had  made  some  show  of  at- 
tacking those  who  lingered  behind  the  main  body. 
Awhile  before,  they  had  robbed  four  men  of  all 
they  had,  stripped  them  naked,  and  left  them  in  the 
open  prairies  to  perish  before  they  could  get  to  the 
white  settlements.  The  company  said  it  was  ninety- 
nine  chances  to  one  that  I  escaped  the  hands  of  the 
Indians,  for  they  had  been  seen  all  along  where  I 
had  come.  Surely  a  wise  God  controlled  the  heath- 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  33 

ens,  and  protected  me ;  for  as  I  came  along  the  day 
before,  I  found  a  piece  of  a  buffalo  robe  in  the 
trail,  which  I  thought  some  of  the  company  had 
dropped,  but  after  I  had  put  it  on  my  saddle,  I 
saw  on  the  other  side  of  the  road  a  skin  bag,  full 
of  something,  which  I  then  knew  was  an  Indian 
bag.  I  then  rode  on  as  fast  as  I  could  till  evening, 
when  I  took  up  my  lodging.  O  how  good  the  Lord 
is;  let  all  the  world  with  me  praise  him.  Praise 
him,  O  my  soul;  for  I  trusted  in  him,  and 
he  has  preserved  me.  How  good  it  is  to  con- 
verse with  the  Lord.  The  company  seemed 
glad  that  I  had  made  my  escape.  The  com- 
pany consisted  of  about  fifty.  The  greater  part 
were  bound  for  California;  a  few  only  for  Ore- 
gon. There  was  about  twenty  wagons  belong- 
ing to  the  expedition,  drawn  by  oxen.  One  of  the 
company  was  a  Catholic  priest,  a  Mr.  de  Smidt, 
who  was  extremely  kind  to  me,  and  invited  me  to 
come  and  eat  supper  with  him  that  night,  and  next 
morning  brought  me  some  venison.  He  appeared 
to  be  a  very  fine  man.  I  was  invited  to  sing  by  a 
woman,  and  then  to  pray.  I  did  so. 

MAY  27th.  We  marched  on  through  plains. 
28th.  Saw  two  antelopes,  the  first  I  ever  saw  of 
those  animals.  We  traveled  three  hundred  miles 
up  the  Caw  River  from  Westport,  on  the  west  line 
of  the  Missouri,  all  the  way  through  prairies,  which 
seem  almost  to  have  no  end.  On  Sunday,  3Oth,  I 
had  a  thought  of  trying  to  preach  to  the  company. 
There  were  some  as  wicked  people  among  them  as 
I  ever  saw  in  all  my  life.  There  was  some  reluc- 
tance shown  by  the  captain  of  the  company;  others 
wanted  me  to  preach  to  them.  Part  of  this  Sabbath 
day  was  a  happy  time  to  me.  My  soul  was  drawn 


34:  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

t 

out  to  God,  for  he  was  with  me,  though  in  the 
midst  of  an  ignorant  and  hard-hearted  people.  The 
men  killed  several  antelopes,  and  saw  some  elks. 
On  Monday,  the  3ist,  we  left  the  Blue  (or  Blue 
Earth)  River,  a  fork  of  Caw  River,  and  traveled 
over  to  the  Platte  River.  We  passed  the  Pawnee 
towns  the  next  day,  about  six  miles  to  the  north  of 
us.  We  then  turned  more  to  the  southwest,  and 
camped  on  Platte  River  that  night.  We  had  two 
Methodists  in  company  with  us.  Col.  Bartleson 
had  been  a  Methodist,  but  is  now  a  backslider. 
Our  leader,  Fitzpatrick,  is  a  wicked,  worldly  man, 
and  is  much  opposed  to  missionaries  going  among 
the  Indians.  He  has  some  intelligence,  but  is  deist- 
ical  in  his  principles.  At  2  o'clock,  commenced  a 
most  tremendous  bad  storm,  with  wind,  which  blew 
down  most  of  the  tents,  accompanied  with  rain  and 
lightning  and  thunder  almost  all  night.  I  slept  but 
little,  the  ground  being  all  covered  with  water. 
That  night,  dreadful  oaths  were  heard  all  over  the 
camp  ground.  O  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked. 

On  this  night  I  was  called  upon  to  marry  a  cou- 
ple of  young  people  belonging  to  our  company, 
without  law  or  license,  for  we  were  a  long  way 
from  the  United  States.  Perhaps  this  was  the  first 
marriage  in  all  these  plains,  among  white  people. 

Next  morning  we  continued  up  the  Platte  River. 
This  river  is  said  to  be  about  sixteen  hundred  miles 
long,  and  is  here  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  wide, 
and  very  muddy.  The  Indians  call  it  Elk  River. 
It  empties  into  the  Missouri,  a  few  miles  below 
Council  Bluff.  The  Caw  River  is  said  to  be 
about  seven  hundred  miles  long.  It  empties 
into  the  Missouri  River,  at  the  west  line  of  the 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  35 

state  of  Missouri.  On  Thursday,  we  traveled 
through  the  most  level  plains  I  ever  saw  in  my  life. 
Here  is  such  a  scenery  of  beauty  as  is  seldom  wit- 
nessed. The  Platte  plains  are  lower  than  the 
banks.  There  are  bluffs  all  along  here,  for  four  or 
five  miles.  The  next  day  there  came  on  a  tre- 
mendous storm  of  rain,  wind,  and  thunder,  which 
lasted  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  We  traveled  up 
the  river,  and  encamped  all  night  where  wood  was 
very  scarce,  and  hard  to  be  got,  and  we  made  our 
fires  of  some  willow  bushes.  On  Friday  evening 
the  company  had  a  terrible  alarm.  One  of  our 
hunters,  who  was  in  the  rear,  was  robbed  of  all  he 
had  by  the  Indians.  They  struck  him  with  their 
ram-rods,  and  he  ran  from  them.  Soon  a  war 
party  of  the  Sioux  Indians  appeared  in  view.  We 
soon  collected  together  in  order  of  battle,  to  be 
ready  in  case  of  an  attack.  The  Indians  stood 
awhile  and  looked  at  us,  and  probably  thinking 
that  "the  better  part  of  valor  is  discretion,"  they 
soon  showed  signs  of  peace.  Captain  Fitzpatrick 
then  went  to  them,  and  talked  with  them,  for  he 
was  acquainted  with  them.  They  then  gave  back 
all  that  they  had  taken  from  the  young  man,  and 
our  men  gave  them  some  tobacco,  and  they  smoked 
the  pipe  of  peace. 

The  next  morning  we  continued  up  this  river, 
along  smooth  banks,  without  any  timber.  That 
afternoon  we  had  a  very  severe  hail  storm,  accom- 
panied with  thunder;  one  Indian  was  knocked 
down  with  a  hail  stone,  about  as  large  as  a  goose 
egg.  We  soon  discovered  a  water  spout,  which 
came  down  into  the  river.  When  it  struck  the  river 


36  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

it  made  a  great  foam,  and  then  passed  off  in  a 
dreadful  tornado.  The  next  day  we  saw  six  flat- 
bottomed  boats  coming  down,  loaded  with  buffalo 
robes  and  skins.  The  poor  fellows  in  the  boats 
looked  very  dirty  and  ragged.  We  now  began  to 
see  plenty  of  buffalo  signs;  all  the  way  previous, 
game  had  been  scarce.  Here  we  had  not  very  good 
water  to  drink,  having  to  use  the  muddy  water  of 
the  Platte  River.  On  Sunday,  we  staid  where  we 
had  tolerably  good  water.  Companies  of  Indians 
still  came  into  our  camp  to  trade  with  us. 

The  bluffs  here  are  getting  larger  and  higher 
and  wider  from  the  river.  These  plains  are  cov- 
ered all  over  with  buffalo  bones  and  skulls.  I  long 
to  get  out  of  these  plains  to  where  we  can  get  plenty 
of  good  water  and  wood.  I  am  still  weary  of 
hearing  so  much  swearing  by  the  wicked  white 
men.  On  Monday  night,  we  had  another  hard 
storm  of  rain,  hail,  and  thunder.  These  beautiful 
bluffs  look,  in  some  places,  like  magnificent  build- 
ings. 

JUNE  ist.  We  had  storms  all  the  time.  Sunday, 
7th.  Our  hunters  killed  an  elk,  for  the  first  time. 
On  Wednesday,  they  killed  three  buffaloes.  The 
Indians  still  continued  to  travel  with  us.  This 
night  we  were  threatened  with  another  thunder 
storm,  but  it  passed  off  without  much  rain.  Our 
hunters  killed  some  more  buffaloes,  and  we  then 
had  plenty  of  meat.  It  is  thought  that  the  Platte 
plains  here  are  several  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
water.  The  river  banks  are  very  low,  but  never 
overflow.  Some  small  cedars  grow  on  the  top  of 
the  bluffs.  The  bluffs  get  larger  and  higher  as  we 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  37 

ascend  the  river.  Monday  morning  we  began  to 
make  ready  to  cross  the  south  fork  of  Platte  River. 
"This  fork  is  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  wide,  with 
sandy  bottom;  some  places  the  wagons  nearly 
swam.  We  got  across  with  some  difficulty,  but 
not  much  danger.  There  were  seven  or  eight  buf- 
faloes seen  coming  up  with  our  oxen ;  our  hunters 
shot  one  of  them.  Some  more  were  seen  with  the 
other  oxen.  They  seemed  to  form  an  attachment 
to  each  other.  Thursday,  we  traveled  up  the  north 
side  of  the  south  fork.  Here  we  saw  thousands  of 
buffalo,  all  along  the  plains.  Our  hunters  shot 
down  one  bull;  they  thought  it  unnecessary  to  kill 
any  more.  Here  we  saw  packs  of  wolves,  which 
followed  them.  This  morning  there  was  a  great 
alarm  given  that  the  Indians  had  driven  off  some 
of  the  oxen,  and  our  men  went  in  pursuit  of  them, 
and  brought  them  back.  One  man  said  he  saw  an 
Indian,  and  shot  at  him,  but  some  did  not  believe 
him.  All  this  time,  I  had  to  stand  guard  every 
fourth  night.  The  Indians  still  come  to  trade  with 
us.  Here  we  have  nothing  to  make  our  fires 
but  buffalo  manure.  This  morning  a  large  buf- 
falo bull  came  near  us,  when  we  were  march- 
ing along  and  seemed  regardless  of  the  bullets; 
but  after  fifteen  or  twenty  were  shot  at  him, 
he  fell.  We  started  across  to  the  north  fork, 
about  two  miles  to  the  northwest,  and  then  trav- 
eled about  twenty  miles  up  the  river;  staid 
there  on  Saturday  night.  Here  an  awful  cir- 
cumstance took  place:  A  young  man  by  the  name 
of  Shotwell,  shot  himself  accidentally,  and  died  in 
about  two  hours  afterwards.  I  was  called  upon, 


38     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

by  his  comrades,  to  preach  his  funeral,  which  I  did. 
The  death  of  this  young  man  caused  some  serious- 
ness in  his  comrades  for  a  few  days.  On  Sunday 
evening,  we  went  up  the  river  about  eight  miles,  to 
the  mouth  of  Ash  Creek,  and  staid  there  one  day 
and  two  nights.  We  then  traveled  up  through  the 
bluffs  and  bald  hills,  the  weather  still  cold  and 
windy.  Nothing  grows  here  but  some  willow 
bushes  on  the  banks.  The  plains  are  poor  and 
broken.  Many  curious  shapes  and  forms  may  be 
seen  among  the  bluffs.  Some  abrupt  elevations 
look  like  houses,  with  steeples  to  them.  One  we  saw 
sixteen  or  eighteen  miles  ahead  of  us,  which  re- 
sembled a  house  with  the  chimney  in  the  middle  of 
it;  or  like  a  funnel,  with  the  small  end  uppermost, 
and  covering  about  two  acres  of  ground.  The 
chimney  part  is  about  one  hundred  feet  high,  and 
about  thirty  feet  square.  We  passed  an  old  fort 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Larrimee  River ;  and  cross- 
ing that  river,  we  went  up  to  a  new  fort  that  they 
were  building,  called  Fort  Johns.  Here  is  a  mix- 
ture of  people ;  some  white,  some  half  breeds,  some 
French.  Here  is  plenty  of  talk  about  their  dam- 
nation, but  none  about  their  salvation;  and  I 
thought  of  the  words  of  David,  "Woe  is  me  that  I 
sojourn  in  Mesech,  that  I  dwelt  in  the  tents  of 
Kedar."  Here  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Black 
Hills.  We  have  now  buffalo  meat  in  abundance, 
which  they  cut  up  in  slices,  and  dry  in  the  sun.  I 
never  experienced  colder  weather  for  the  time  of 
year,  now  late  in  June.  The  people  here  appear 
healthier  than  at  any  other  place  in  the  country. 
The  white  people  have  Indian  women  for  their 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  39 

wives.  There  are  two  Forts  here,  about  one  mile 
apart,  and  another  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  south.  I  tried  to  preach  twice  to  these  peo- 
ple, but  with  little  effect.  Some  of  them  said  they 
had  not  heard  preaching  for  twelve  years. 

Leaving  the  Fort,  we  soon  entered  the  Black 
Hills.  Traveling  up  the  Larrimee  River,  we  had 
plenty  of  good  wood  and  water,  and  felt  ourselves 
much  refreshed,  thanks  be  to  God.  I  am  now  get- 
ting well  used  to  eating  buffalo  meat. 

JULY  ist.  We  crossed  the  north  fork  with  diffi- 
culty, and  in  the  passage  had  a  mule  drowned. 
Buffaloes  and  bears  are  very  plenty,  and  our  hunt- 
ers shot  them  down  all  around,  so  that  we  had  good 
fat  meat  in  abundance.  All  this  country  is  still 
very  poor  and  the  timber  small — cotton  wood  and 
willow.  Few  Indians  to  be  seen;  some  mixed 
breeds  are  with  Mr.  de  Smidt,  going  on  to  the 
Columbia  River  to  the  Catholic  mission.  Here 
grow  a  great  many  wild  shrubs,  with  wild  sage  and 
grease-wood,  resembling  young  pine,  with  which 
the  bald  hills  are  covered.  It  is  seldom  eaten  by  any 
kind  of  animal.  Here  we  have  the  Black  Hills 
upon  our  left.  The  third  day  of  the  month,  we  left 
the  Platte  and  went  on  to  the  Sweet  River,  a  branch 
of  the  Platte,  which  heads  up  in  the  mountains.  We 
are  now  supposed  to  be  in  north  latitude  41°.  The 
streams  of  water  are  very  good.  I  notice  here  large 
quantities  of  something  like  glauber  salts.  It  looks 
like  white  frost.  This  country  is  thought  to  be  ex- 
tremely healthy. 

JULY  4th.  Came  in  sight  of  the  Big  Horn  (or 
Wind  River)  Mountain.  The  next  day  we  passed 


40  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

the  Red  Bluffs,  and  at  night  reached  the  Indepen- 
dence Rock,  on  Sweet  River,  at  which  a  company 
celebrated  the  4th  of  July,  1838.  Next  night  (Sun- 
day) I  proposed  having  prayers;  several  of  the 
wicked  class  came  up.  Near  this,  we  passed  a  place 
where  the  whole  river  runs  through  a  narrow  chan- 
nel, or  sluice  in  the  rocks.  This  night  we  have  the 
sound  of  the  violin,  but  not  much  dancing.  "Woe 
unto  the  wicked;  for  they  shall  have  their  reward." 
Our  company  is  mostly  composed  of  Universalists 
and  deists.  Here  is  an  almost  solid  rock,  like  a 
mountain,  on  the  right  side  of  Sweet  River.  Buf- 
faloes and  antelopes  are  very  plenty  in  this  region. 
Driving  through  dry,  rough  plains,  we  try  to  get 
to  the  creeks  to  obtain  grazing  for  our  animals.  We 
ate  now  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Crow  nation  of 
Indians,  who  are  peaceable.  We  have  this  morn- 
ing again  come  in  sight  of  the  Wind  River  Moun- 
tain. Its  summit  is  still  spotted  with  snow. 

JULY  IOTH.  At  night  we  were  cold.  I  could  not 
keep  warm,  although  I  had  a  buffalo  robe  to  cover 
me.  It  is  said  here,  that  the  ground  is  sometimes 
frozen  in  August  an  inch  deep.  Today  we  traveled 
over  some  high,  bald  hills ;  dined  on  good  fat  buf- 
falo, that  our  hunters  had  just  killed.  We  went 
over  on  Sweet  River,  and  dried  our  meat  for  the 
remaining  part  of  our  journey,  where  we  expected 
not  to  find  any  more  game.  We  are  still  in  sight  of 
the  big  Wind  Mountain ;  for  it  may  be  seen  at  the 
distance  of  seventy  or  eighty  miles.  For  hundreds 
of  miles  we  have  to  pass  over  barren  ground.  I 
went  out  with  the  hunters  to  bring  in  meat  to  dry, 
and  we  soon  killed  a  buffalo,  which  Mr.  Jones  and 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  41 

myself  loaded  our  animals  with,  and  started  back  to 
camp,  I  acting  as  pilot.  We  struck  too  high  on  the 
creek,  and  such  places  for  rocks  and  hills  and  cliffs 
I  never  traveled  over  before.  We  arrived  home 
just  after  dark.  The  next  day  we  came  in  sight  of 
the  Sweet  River  Mountain.  Its  peaks  were  toler- 
ably well  whitened  with  snow.  There  are  some 
white  bears  in  these  mountains,  but  we  have  not 
killed  any  yet.  There  are  also  some  white  wolves, 
about  as  white  as  sheep.  They  are  a  dull,  sleepy 
looking  animal,  and  very  surly ;  not  very  mindful  of 
any  thing,  nor  much  afraid.  They  are  about  the 
size  of  a  common  wolf.  i6th,  July.  We  are  en- 
gaged in  drying  our  meat  for  crossing  the  moun- 
tains. This  morning  we  had  a  very  great  frost, 
and  some  ice.  We  are  still  in  sight  of  the  Sweet 
River  Mountain. 

Today,  we  lay  by  for  the  arrival  of  the  Snake 
Indians  to  come  and  trade  for  our  articles,  and  a 
man  was  sent  to  tell  them  to  come.  Today,  Col. 
Bartleson  gave  some  of  our  deists  a  down-setting, 
which  pleased  me  very  well.  We  moved  about  three 
miles  up  the  river,  to  get  better  grazing  ground  for 
our  animals.  This  river  is  very  beautiful;  clear, 
running  water,  fine  springs  all  along;  no  timber, 
soil  poor  and  barren.  Sunday,  i8th.  We  lodged 
on  Little  Sandy  Creek,  a  beautiful  stream,  igth. 
We  stand  on  Big  Sandy  Creek.  These  two  creeks 
run  into  Green  River,  a  branch  of  the  Colorado 
River. 

We  have  now  just  crossed  the  ridge  between  the 
Green  River  and  the  Missouri.  All  these  mountains 
that  we  have  been  traveling  through,  are  spurs  of 


42  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

the  Rocky  Mountains,  whose  peaks  are  covered 
with  eternal  snow.  Although  the  mountains  are 
spotted  with  snow,  yet  the  plains  are  very  hot  and 
sultry.  Today,  we  saw  some  white,  grizzly  bears, 
and  killed  some  mountain  sheep,  the  horns  of  which 
are  as  thick  as  a  man's  leg,  and  about  two  feet 
long;  but  they  have  no  wool  upon  them,  and  are 
not  much  larger  than  our  common  sheep.  Friday, 
23rd.  We  lay  on  Green  River  bottom,  where  we 
fell  in  with  Mr.  Frap,  who  was  on  a  hunting  expe- 
dition. This  man,  with  nine  or  ten  of  his  company, 
was  afterwards  killed  in  a  skirmish  with  the  Sioux 
Indians.  His  company  was  mostly  composed  of 
half  breeds,  French,  and  Dutch,  and  all  sorts  of 
people  collected  together  in  the  mountains,  and 
were  a  wicked,  swearing  company  of  men.  Here 
sugar  sold  for  $1.50  per  pound;  powder  and  lead 
from  $1.50  to  $2.50  per  pound.  While  here,  a 
wedding  took  place  in  our  company,  between  Mr. 
Richard  Fillan  and  a  Mrs.  Gray,  who  had  left  her 
husband  in  Missouri.  They  were  married  by  Mr. 
de  Smidt,  the  Catholic  priest.  Six  of  our  company 
left  us  and  returned  to  the  United  States.  Leaving 
Mr.  Frap's  company,  we  continued  our  journey 
down  Green  River.  On  Sabbath  we  have  nothing 
but  swearing,  fishing,  etc.  Here  I  gave  myself  up 
to  God,  determined  to  serve  him  better  than  ever. 
27th.  We  encamped  on  Black's  fork.  We  are 
now  among  the  Snake  nation  and  Flat  Head  In- 
dians. These  latter  are  like  other  Indians,  but 
their  heads  have  been  clamped  up  in  a  box  while 
infants.  We  traveled  about  ten  miles  a  day,  much 
impeded  by  the  thickets  of  sage  and  grease-wood. 


TOUE  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  43 

Here  we  find  the  little  prairie  dogs.  They  are  about 
the  size  of  the  fox  squirrel,  and  of  a  brownish 
color.  They  are  in  shape  like  a  little  dog  with  short 
tails.  Here  we  also  find  other  small  animals,  about 
the  size  of  the  ground  squirrel.  They  all  live,  as  it 
were,  in  towns,  burrowed  in  the  ground.  These 
little  animals  appear  to  visit  one  another,  from  the 
appearance  of  their  paths  from  one  burrow  to  an- 
other. Their  houses  are  covered  up;  and  when 
they  see  travelers,  they  run  to  their  holes.  The  sage 
hen  is  found  here  also.  They  are  somewhat  less 
than  the  turkey  hen,  and  are  supposed  to  live  on  the 
sage  leaves.  They  are  not  very  good  to  eat. 

JULY  28th.  On  Ham's  fork  of  Green  River.  One 
of  our  wagons  broke  down  today.  3Oth.  We  trav- 
eled across  the  barren  hills  towards  Bear  River. 
This  was  a  hot,  sultry  day;  yet  we  could  see  snow 
on  the  Eutaw  Mountains,  on  the  head  waters  of 
the  Colorado  River.  Next  night  we  lay  on  Black's 
fork.  August  ist.  At  night  I  tried  to  preach  to 
the  deists  and  swearers.  Some  of  them  seemed 
angry,  but  I  thought  I  cleared  my  conscience.  Next 
day  we  traveled  through  hills  and  bad  roads  till  we 
came  to  Bear  River,  which  runs  into  Big  Salt  Lake. 
Here  we  rested,  and  waited  for  the  Snake  Indians 
to  come  and  trade  with  us.  The  Bear  River  bot- 
toms are  beautiful  to  look  at,  but  not  rich,  and  have 
no  timber.  On  each  side  of  the  river  are  high, 
naked  bluffs,  in  some  places  like  small  mountains; 
and  in  the  valleys,  large  springs  of  beautiful  cold 
water  abound.  Farther  on,  we  found  tolerably 
good  lands,  and  beautiful  small  creeks,  having  good 
mill  sites.  Some  few  pines  are  growing  along  these 


4A  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

bluffs.  This  day  I  felt  weak  from  living  on  dry 
buffalo  meat,  without  bread.  Sunday,  8th.  We 
rested.  The  employment  is  still  fishing  and  hunt- 
ing, and  such  swearing  I  never  heard  in  my  life  be- 
fore. God  will  surely  punish  these  swearers.  Still 
we  find  large  beautiful  streams  coming  down  from 
the  mountains,  whose  sides  are  covered  with  pine 
trees.  Fish  are  plenty  in  all  these  streams.  A  fine 
settlement  might  be  formed  along  this  river. 

We  next  came  to  the  soda  springs.  These 
springs  seem  to  boil  like  a  pot  of  water;  but  there 
is  no  heat  in  them,  except  one,  that  is  just  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  which  is  built  in  the  form  of  a 
crawfish  hole,  about  three  feet  high,  formed  a  sedi- 
ment thrown  up  by  the  water,  which  spouts  about 
three  feet  high  every  quarter  of  a  minute.  There 
is  an  air  hole  near  it  that  makes  a  noise  like  a 
steamboat,  but  not  so  loud.  This  water  is  something 
similar  to  the  artificial  soda  water.  Some  of  these 
springs  are  situated  in  the  bottom  of  the  river,  and 
occasion  an  ebullition  on  the  surface.  This  water 
is  somewhat  purgative,  and  is  thought  by  some  to 
possess  medical  qualities,  which  may  hereafter 
make  it  a  place  of  great  resort  by  Invalids  and 
others.  This  place  looks  as  if  it  might  once  have 
been  a  great  volcano.  There  is  something  like  lava 
that  has  been  thrown  out  of  a  hole,  and  lies  some 
inches  thick  on  the  ground.  Around  it  is  a  fine 
country  of  rich  land,  good  fresh  water,  healthy, 
and  a  very  mild  climate.  Some  of  the  sediment  is 
of  a  red  color,  and  the  stones  have  the  appearance 
of  pumice. 

Here  our  hunters  killed  a   pelican,   as   white  as 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  45 

snow,  and  its  legs  and  feet  like  those  of  a  goose. 
Its  bill  is  about  eighteen  inches  long,  and  it  has  a 
pouch  under  its  jaw  that  will  hold  about  three 
pints.  The  pelican  is  about  six  feet  long,  its  tail 
short,  the  flesh  coarse,  and  not  very  good  to  eat. 
This  day  we  parted  with  some  of  our  company. 
They  went  down  the  Bear  River  in  order  to  go  to 
California.  There  was  some  division  and  strife 
among  us  about  going ;  some  who  set  out  for  Cali- 
fornia changed  their  minds  to  go  to  the  Columbia. 
Those  who  went  to  California,  (as  I  afterwards 
learned)  were  much  perplexed  about  getting 
through,  as  they  had  no  regular  guide;  and  were 
forced  to  kill  some  of  their  animals,  to  save  them- 
selves from  perishing  with  hunger.  They  passed 
the  Big  Salt  Lake.  At  this  Lake,  abundance  of 
salt  is  made  by  evaporation  in  the  sun. 

We  turned  off  from  the  Bear  River,  and  struck 
over  on  to  the  waters  of  Snake  River.  Next  morn- 
ing we  started  down  one  of  its  branches,  but  found 
that  we  could  not  get  along  with  the  wagons.  We 
therefore  turned  back  again,  and  staid  near  where 
we  encamped  the  night  before.  The  next  day  we 
continued  on  up,  and  fell  over  on  Snake  River,  at 
Fort  Hall.  Here  the  Flat  Heads  met  the  Catholic 
priest,  who,  with  his  little  company,  left  us,  and 
turned  to  the  right  to  go  to  the  Flat  Head  tribes, 
where  he  had  a  mission.  I  felt  sorry  when  we 
parted  with  him.  After  we  had  got  some  provi- 
sions, and  the  men  had  exchanged  their  wagons 
for  horses,  we  pursued  our  journey.  Our  company 
is  now  going  with  Mr.  Armington,  who  is  our  cap- 
tain. We  passed  the  Ponock  Indians.  They  seemed 

' 


46  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

to  show  some  dislike  to  us.  Our  captain  said,  if 
they  were  not  for  peace,  they  would  not  come 
openly  to  us.  Here  news  came  to  us  that  about  two 
hundred  Sioux  had  attacked  Frap's  company,  men- 
tioned in  a  former  part  of  my  narrative.  We  now 
started  on  down  the  Snake  River.  We  have  now 
beautiful  plains  to  travel  through.  At  Fort  Hall, 
we  had  to  give  one  dollar  a  pint  for  flour.  Fort 
Hall  is  a  beautiful  place,  in  a  handsome  part  of  the 
country. 

AUGUST  2 1  st.  Went  down  the  Snake  River.  Here 
are  half  breeds,  and  Indians,  and  French,  and  Wy- 
hees,  all  together.  We  staid  at  the  American  Falls, 
on  Snake  River,  where  we  took  breakfast.  These 
falls  afford  beautiful  scenery,  and  are  heard  to  a 
great  distance.  We  traveled  over  some  tremendous 
bad  roads;  and  on  the  2ist,  we  passed  the  Salmon 
Falls  on  Lewis  River.  A  large  company  of  the 
root  diggers  live  here,  in  little  lodges  made  of  wil- 
low bushes  and  grass.  Here  they  catch  thousands  of 
salmon.  These,  with  the  roots  they  dig,  constitute 
their  food.  Their  little  lodges  were  lined  with  fish, 
of  which  we  bought  plenty  to  do  us.  We  now 
fared  well  on  fish,  and  I  have  recruited  my  strength 
of  body.  Our  captain,  Armington,  is  one  of  the 
most  liberal,  freehearted  men  in  this  country.  He 
has  shown  us  a  great  deal  of  kindness,  though  far 
from  being  a  religious  man.  28th.  We  crossed  the 
river,  which  was  deep  and  dangerous,  and  contin- 
ued down  it.  The  Snake  Indians  are  now  with  us, 
and  want  to  sell  us  fish,  and  trade  horses.  We  have 
tremendous  rough  roads,  and  it  is  very  dangerous 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  47 

traveling  up  and  down  the  rocky  hills.    We  passed 
two  hot  springs,  where  we  saw  some  iron  ore. 

SEPTEMBER  ist.   We  reached  Fort  Bois.   Timber 
grows   along   the   Bois,  principally   cotton   wood. 
There  are  some  flour  and  Indian  meal  to  be  sold 
here ;  seven  pounds  of  flour  for  a  dollar — mountain 
price !   Here  we  rested  two  days.     Our  captain  is  a 
very  profane  man,  which  seems  to  give  fresh  spring 
to  our  swearers.     The  first  night  we  staid  at  Fort 
Bois,  I  lay  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  I  could 
scarcely  sleep  for  the  Indians,  who  sung  all  night  in 
a  very  curious  manner.     This  is  their  practice  when 
they  are  gambling.     The  poor  things  were  almost 
naked.     The  salmon  also  kept  a  great  noise,  jump- 
ing and  splashing  about  in  the  water.     We  now 
started  for  Wallawalla,  over  hills  and  rough  roads. 
We  don't  see  any  timber,  scarcely,  except  a  few 
pines.     We  passed  some  more  hot  springs  today, 
and   traveled   some   very   dangerous    roads.     8th. 
We  came  to  Gunpowder  River,  a  small  stream.  The 
next  day  we  staid  on  a  pleasant  plain,  where  beauti- 
ful springs  come  down  from  the  spurs  of  the  Blue 
Mountains.  We  staid  on  the  Grand  Round,  a  beau- 
tiful plain,  about  twenty  miles  long  and  ten  broad. 
It  is  well  calculated  for  farming,  and  well  watered. 
Here  we  pass  some  beautiful   pines,    spruce,    and 
fir  trees.     After  crossing  the  mountain,  we  staid 
at  the  foot  of  it,  on  the  margin  of  a   small  creek. 
We  had  some  frost  this  morning.     Next   day   we 
traveled  over  the  hills,  and  got  into  the  rich  prai- 
ries ;  camped  on  the  Umatilla  River,  where  we  saw 
a  variety  of  fruits,  black  haws  and  brown  cherries ; 
and  trees  like  the  balm  of  Gilead,  with  pods  and 


48  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

gum  on  them.  The  Indians  brought  some  good, 
sweet  roots  to  sell  us.  We  traveled  on,  and  got 
to  Dr.  Whiteman's  and  Mr.  Gray's,  on  the  Walla- 
walla,  where  the  Presbyterian  mission  is  located. 
These  were  kind,  friendly  people.  We  heard  the 
Doctor  hold  a  meeting  on  Sunday,  in  a  well-be- 
haved congregation  of  Indians.  I  tried  to  preach 
to  them  myself  that  day.  Here  we  had  all  kinds  of 
garden  vegetables,  which  they  gave  to  us  very 
freely. 

On  Wednesday  following  we  left  the  mission, 
and  traveled  on  down  the  Wallawalla  about 
twenty-five  miles,  and  reached  the  Fort  at  the 
mouth  thereof,  on  the  Columbia  River.  We  con- 
tinued down  the  Columbia  River  on  a  very  danger- 
ous road,  on  the  side  of  hills,  where,  if  a  horse 
should  stumble,  he  would  fall  two  hundred  feet 
down  into  the  river.  We  traveled  through  large 
white  sand  banks,  and  passed  the  falls,  where  the 
Indians  catch  great  quantities  of  fish.  We  staid 
among  these  Indians  awhile.  They  seem  very  re- 
ligious. We  prayed  together,  and  gave  them  some 
bread.  They  sung  and  prayed  before  they  ate,  and 
then  returned  thanks  afterwards.  At  this  place, 
some  of  our  Methodist  missionaries  had  preached. 
We  crossed  a  small  river  below  the  falls,  where, 
while  we  stopped  to  let  our  animals  graze,  we  had 
some  of  our  articles  stolen  by  the  Indians.  We 
passed  the  "Dalles,"  or  Narrows,  where  the  Colum- 
bia River  is  contracted  to  not  more  than  twenty 
yards  wide.  Around  this  place  the  Indians  are 
numerous. 

Shortly  after  this,  we  arrived  at  the  Methodist 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  49 

mission,  where  brother  Daniel  Lee,  brother  Per- 
kins, brother  Brewer,  and  their  families,  are  sta- 
tioned. They  are  making  some  progress  among  the 
Indians.  I  was  truly  glad  to  see  a  Methodist  house, 
and  see  the  Methodist  people  once  more.  They 
were  very  good  to  us,  and  supplied  us  with  pro- 
visions, free  of  charge.  I  was  often  invited  to  eat 
with  them,  but  not  to  sleep  in  the  house.  I  tried  to 
preach  to  them  one  night,  and  had  a  very  good 
time.  After  resting  three  days,  we  left  them,  and 
traveled  on  with  four  men  and  one  family.  We 
passed  two  mountains — Mount  St.  Helena  and 
Mount  Hood.  The  tops  of  these  mountains  are  cov- 
ered with  perpetual  snow,  and  may  be  seen  for  one 
hundred  miles.  We  lodged  on  a  large  creek,  in 
company  with  some  Indians.  The  Indians  requested 
me  to  hold  prayers  with  them,  which  I  did.  From 
thence  we  struck  through  to  the  falls  of  the  Willa- 
mette River.  On  our  way,  we  passed  through  the 
thickest  wood  I  ever  saw  in  my  life,  mostly  spruce, 
pith  pine,  and  fir  trees.  In  these  thickets  it  is  al- 
most like  night  in  mid-day,  so  dense  is  the  forest  of 
large  and  heavy  topped  trees.  The  high  hills,  logs, 
and  mud-holes,  made  our  travel  very  difficult,  and 
even  dangerous.  There  were  a  woman  and  three 
children  in  company  with  us,  while  we  lay  out  two 
nights  in  the  rain.  I  had  a  buffalo  rug  for  a  tent 
cloth.  Here  are  some  of  the  largest  trees  I  ever 
saw  in  my  life;  some  of  them  are  supposed  to  be 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high.  One  tree,  which 
I  measured,  was  thirty  feet  in  circumference.  We 
passed  a  number  of  large  water-falls,  affording 


50  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

great  water  power  for  mills.  There  are  also  a  great 
many  fine,  cold  springs. 

After  traveling  eight  days  of  a  wearisome  jour- 
ney, we  reached  the  Methodist  mission,  at  the  Falls 
of  the  Willamette  River,  where    brother    Wilson 
and  brother  Waller  are  missionaries.     Here  I  lay 
out  under  the  saplings  in  the  woods,  and  slept  but 
little  on  account  of  the  fleas.     Mr.  Moore,  from 
Missouri,  came  and  staid  with  me.     Some  young 
men  who  were  building  a  ship,  came  and  supplied 
us  with  provision.     On  the  Qth,  we  arrived  at  the 
beautiful   plains  of  Willamette,   where  we   staid 
with  Mr.  Hubbard,  who  was  married  to  an  Indian 
woman,  as  are  all  the  white  men  in  this   country, 
excepting  the  missionaries.    He  used  us  very  well, 
and  charged  us  nothing.    Today,  I  traveled  up  the 
river  among  the  beautiful  plains,  and  had  a  view  of 
Mt.  Jefferson  and   Mt.    M'Laughlin,   the   tops   of 
which  are  elevated  above  the  clouds,  covered  with 
snow,  and  may,  I  think,  be  seen  one  hundred  miles ; 
as  may  also  some  other  mountains  in  this  region. 
I  rode  to  Jason  Lee's  station,  the    first    he   built 
after  going  there,  and  gave  him  a  bundle  of  papers 
that  were  sent  to  him.     Here  are  several  mission- 
aries.    Next  day  I  rode  to  brother   Judson's   mis- 
sionary station,  where  they  have  built  a  grist  and 
saw-mill,  and  are  doing  a  very  good  business  for 
themselves.   I  remained  awhile  at  brother  Judson's 
and  brother  Ouley's,  where  I  enjoyed  myself  very 
well,  and  became  acquainted  with   brother    Hole- 
man  and  brother  Hines,  and    brother    Campbell. 
They  and  their  families  seemed  very  friendly.     I 
then  returned  to  Lees'  old   station,   and   staid   at 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  51 

brother  Raymond's,  who  gave  me  some  small  pres- 
ents.    I  went  to  hear  brother  Lasley  (one  of  the 
missionaries)  preach  on  Sunday.     He  preached  a 
cold,  formal  sermon.     In  the  afternoon,  I  tried  to 
preach  to  them.    We  had  but  a  small  congregation, 
all  dull  and  flat.     I  said  within  myself,  "I  fear  the 
world,  and  speculation,    has    too    much    influence 
over  these  missionaries."    It  is  in  vain  for  men  to 
come  to  this  country  to  teach  the  Indians  the  way 
of  salvation,  and  be  so  indifferent  themselves.     I 
said,  "O  Lord,  turn  away  the  captivity  of  Zion,  and 
send  faithful  laborers  into  the  vineyard,  to  teach 
the  way  of  salvation  to  the  heathen."     These  In- 
dians are  of  the  Callapooyan  tribe,   and  the   mis- 
sionaries have  as  yet  learned  but    little    of   their 
language.  They  have  no  regular  school  here  at  this 
time,  but  are  making  preparations  to  build  a  house 
at  the  upper  station,  but  none  here.    Nor  are  there 
any  converted  Indians  here.     I  believe  there  have 
been  three  or  four  that  were  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  but  there  are  none  now; 
and  no  Indian  society  at  all   on   the   Willamette. 
They  say  that  the  Roman  Catholics  tried  to  hinder 
their  influence  in  this  country.    The  Catholics  have 
a  majority  of  the  French  and  Indians.    I  was  often 
asked  by  the  Indians  to  go  to  their  camps  and  hold 
prayer  meetings  with  them.    I  fell  in  company  with 
brother  Frost,  one  of  the  missionaries  who  live  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River,  among  the  Che- 
nook  Indians.    I  told  him  I  had  a  mind  to  go  down 
there  with  him ;  and  I  started  in  a  canoe  down  the 
Willamette  River,  in  company  with  some  Chenook 
Indians.    We  lay  out  two  nights  before  we  reached 


52  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

the  Falls.  One  night  it  rained  upon  us.  We  reached 
the  Falls,  and  staid  there  one  night.  Brother  Wal- 
ler preached  to  a  few  of  the  Klackamus  Indians, 
and  brother  Frost  exhorted  and  I  exhorted  through 
an  interpreter.  These  men  preached  in  the  "jar- 
gon," (a  language  or  dialect  taken  from  all  the 
tribes)  but  did  not  altogether  understand  the  lan- 
guage used  by  the  natives.  Brother  Waller  and  my- 
self went  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Klackamus 
River  to  preach  to  the  Indians;  but  with  little 
effect.  Here  is  the  place  where  the  Roman  Cath- 
olics hold  their  meetings.  That  night  tried  to 
preach  to  a  few  whites,  but  with  little  effect.  I 
did  not  now  sleep  in  the  woods  as  I  did  before, 
being  in  company  with  brother  Frost. 

Next  day  we  started  down  to  Fort  Vancouver, 
which  we  reached  in  two  days.  Here  I  met  with 
Mr.  Littlejohn,  and  concluded  to  go  with  him  to 
Qualitine  Plains,  as  he  was  about  moving,  and  was 
to  start  that  night,  or  the  next  morning.  So  I 
brought  up  my  baggage  to  the  house  where  Little- 
John  was  staying,  and  with  his  consent  put  them 
in  there,  without  asking  leave  of  Mr.  M'Laughlin, 
the  proprietor.  Immediately  after,  Mr.  M'Laughlin, 
came  into  the  house,  looking  very  angry;  he  asked 
me  if  I  had  any  recommendation  to  him.  I  told 
him  I  had  not.  He  then  told  me  he  could  not  receive 
me.  I  showed  him  my  credentials  as  a  preacher  in 
the  Methodist  Church,  but  he  cared  not  for  these. 
I  then  asked  him  to  let  my  articles  lay  a  few  hours 
in  his  room,  but  it  was  not  granted.  He  is  an  ill- 
natured,  old  Roman  Catholic.  I  went  down  to  the 
river  and  staid  with  some  people  who  were  going 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  53 

to  travel  with  me.  Next  day  we  went  down  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Willamette  River,  then  went  up  it  in 
a  canoe,  and  laid  on  the  bank.  Next  day  I  went  on 
foot  across  the  mountain,  in  company  with  Samuel 
Kelsey.  Climbing  over  the  mountains  and  travers- 
ing the  plains,  fatigued  me;  and  by  so  overheating 
myself,  it  gave  me  the  chills  and  fevers  for  near  a 
week. 

OCTOBER  29th.  Wet  weather  is  setting  in,  and  it 
continues  until  the  ist  of  April,  and  then  it  is  dry 
all  summer.  Not  much  corn  can  be  raised  here. 
Good  wheat,  oats,  barley,  onions,  potatoes,  beets, 
carrots,  peas,  beans,  turnips,  carrots,  etc.,  grow 
very  well  here.  These  prairies  afford  fine  grazing ; 
for  on  them,  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  will  be 
as  fat  in  the  winter  as  in  the  summer.  The  streams 
all  abound  with  salmon.  The  tide-water  comes  up 
to  the  Falls.  There  are  several  fishing  places  along 
these  rivers;  plenty  of  springs  of  clear,  good,  and 
cold  water.  The  best  portion  of  the  country  lies  in 
the  valleys  along  the  streams.  Elk,  bear,  and  deer 
are  found  in  the  mountains.  The  people  dwelling 
on  the  plain  are  subject  to  the  chills  and  fevers.  I 
soon  recovered,  though,  from  this  disease,  and 
began  to  try  to  preach  to  the  people  at  this  place, 
where  there  are  but  ten  or  twelve  families. 

Here  I  met  with  brother  and  sister  Carter,  who 
are  excellent  people,  and  were  kind  to  me.  Sister 
Carter  is  a  true  believer  in  Christ.  I  then  staid  a 
few  weeks  with  Mr.  Kelsey,  who  was  one  of  our 
company  from  the  United  States.  I  built  a  house 
on  an  improved  piece  of  land,  to  live  in  by  myself ; 
but  I  soon  found  it  would  not  do.  Mr.  Kelsey  and 


54  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

his  wife  were  very  poor,  though  kind.  These  times 
passed  very  unpleasantly.  I  attended  the  preaching 
of  Mr.  Griffin,  a  Presbyterian  missionary  from  the 
east.  He  showed  me  no  friendship  at  all.  Some- 
times I  would  exhort  after  he  was  done,  asking  the 
leave  of  the  people;  but  he  would  leave  the  house. 
He  soon  lost  the  good  will  of  the  people.  They 
seemed  desirous  that  I  should  preach  to  them.  I 
felt  my  heart  much  pained  to  see  the  coldness  of 
the  preachers,  and  the  low  state  of  religion.  I  got 
word  from  Willamette  to  return  there.  So  I  started 
back,  in  company  with  brother  and  sister  Carter, 
and  brother  Abert.  The  waters  being  very  deep, 
we  had  to  cross  on  logs  and  swim  our  animals.  We 
lay  out  that  night  in  the  woods.  Next  morning 
started  early,  and  reached  the  Falls  of  the  Willam- 
ette, at  brother  Waller's  and  brother  Wilson's. 
Passed  a  waste  cabin,  where  I  had  laid  out  a  few 
nights  before,  hunting  horses.  I  tarried  at  the 
Falls  of  the  Willamette,  waiting  for  a  passage  up 
the  river.  I  tried  to  labor  in  picking  brush  and 
clearing,  for  brother  Waller;  but  could  not  do 
much  at  it. 

Here  Satan  much  disturbed  my  peace.  I  was 
much  plagued  with  needless  fears  and  distress  of 
mind,  looking  back  to  my  family.  Nearly  three 
thousand  miles  from  my  home,  my  clothes  begin- 
ning to  get  thread-bare;  somewhat  affected  with 
the  rheumatism ;  my  money  almost  gone ;  my  breth- 
ren seeming  to  look  coldly  and  indifferently  at  me; 
all  combined  to  depress  me  in  spirits.  I  attended, 
with  brother  Waller,  some  Indian  meetings,  and 
tried  to  preach  to  the  white  people.  I  prayed 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  55 

mightily  to  God  to  deliver  me  from  all  my  needless 
fears,  and  from  all  sin.  On  New  Year's  day,  I 
started  in  company  with  some  Frenchmen,  up  the 
Willamette,  in  a  canoe.  This  rapid  stream  is  very 
dangerous  to  navigate  above  the  Falls.  Some 
canoes  had  been  overset  here;  but  the  Lord  pre- 
served us.  I  had  given  my  name,  and  the  name  of 
the  place  where  I  lived,  to  brother  Waller;  so  that 
in  case  I  should  be  drowned  or  die,  he  might  write 
home  to  my  family.  I  came  to  our  landing  place, 
and  then  I  had  to  walk  about  fifteen  miles  through 
the  water  and  mud.  It  was  sometime  in  the  night 
before  I  reached  Mr.  Roe's,  where  I  staid  that 
night,  and  next  morning  started  on  foot  for  the 
Methodist  mission,  with  my  saddle-bags  on  my 
back.  I  traveled  all  day  in  the  wet,  and  at  night 
missed  my  way;  and  coming  to  a  water  about  a 
hundred  yards  wide,  I  feared  to  enter  in.  I 
hallooed,  and  a  Frenchman  rode  across  to  me,  and 
I  followed  after  him.  The  water  was  about  knee- 
deep.  I  got  to  Mr.  Jennings,  a  French  Catholic,  who 
was  very  kind  and~  friendly  to  me.  I  was  very  wet 
and  cold.  This  day's  traveling  caused  me  to  lay  by 
nearly  all  the  winter  with  the  rheumatism.  I  this 
night  felt  happy  in  God,  to  think  he  had  brought 
me  safely  so  far,  it  being  now  January  6,  1842. 
Next  day,  Sunday,  I  got  to  the  Methodist  mission, 
and  heard  brother  Parish  preach.  Their  meetings 
still  seem  cold  and  flat.  At  night,  I  attended  prayer 
meeting.  I  do  not  feel  well,  either  in  body  or  soul. 
My  only  prayer  is,  that  God  would  give  me  victory 
over  myself,  that  I  may  be  wholly  given  up  to  him. 
I  told  the  missionaries  they  might  do  much  more 


56     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

for  the  Indians  than  they  were  doing,  as  they  had 
no  schools,  and  very  few  meetings  for  the  Indians, 
and  at  some  stations,  no  preaching  to  them  at  all. 
I  soon  fell  under  their  displeasure.  They  examined 
me  about  my  authority  to  preach;  I  showed  them 
my  credentials.  They  asked  me  if  I  had  no  recent 
recommendation  from  the  elder  or  circuit  preacher. 
I  told  them  I  had  not.  Then,  said  they,  we  cannot 
receive  you  as  a  preacher.  But  this  did  not  shut  up 
my  way;  for  I  had  plenty  of  friends  to  preach  to, 
without  these  few  individuals.  These  dear  people, 
who  are  sent  to  preach  to  the  Indians,  I  fear  have 
either  lost  the  spirit  of  their  station,  or  else  never 
had  it. 

I  went  to  brother  Lasley's,  and  staid  a  week; 
although  the  old  man  is,  in  his  own  way,  very  stiff, 
and  rigid,  and  self-conceited.  He  was  very  kind 
and  obliging,  however,  to  me.  Brother  Jason  Lee 
came  in,  and  staid  all  night.  We  had  considerable 
talk  about  the  state  of  the  mission.  He  told  me 
that  I  knew  but  little  about  the  state  of  the  mission, 
as  I  was  only  a  stranger  passing  through  the  coun- 
try ;  and  counseled  me  not  to  state  any  thing  about 
them,  except  what  I  knew.  I  replied,  that  I  should 
state  only  what  I  knew,  and  what  I  had  good  rea- 
son to  believe.  "At  this  time,"  said  he,  "we  are  pre- 
paring to  erect  a  very  large  building,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  teaching  the  Indian  children."  I  believe 
that  it  is  brother  Lee's  intention  to  do  good  for  the 
heathen;  by.t  it  seems  he  has  a  great  deal  of  busi- 
ness on  hand,  which  seems  a  hindrance  to  the  work 
of  religion.  They  have  had  some  kind  of  a  sch  >ol 
heretofore,  but  I  believe  not  to  much  purpose. 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  57 

These  people  are  so  scattered  up  and  down  in  the 
mountains  and  valleys,  that  it  seems  hard  to  make 
much  progress ;  and  in  the  summer,  they  are  all  out 
digging  roots  and  hunting.  And  in  this  scattered 
situation  it  is  hard  to  keep  up  any  kind  of  a  society, 
until  the  young  ones  are  informed  by  schools,  and 
get  to  farming,  and  become  a  more  settled  people; 
and  until  our  missionaries  succeed  in  this  work,  I 
fear  there  will  be  but  little  good  done  towards  re- 
ligion ;  for  while  they  live  in  their  old  Indian  habit?, 
they  will  not  live  up  to  any  kind  of  discipline.  They 
are  a  poor,  indigent,  and  distressed  people. 

In  conversation  with  brother  O'Neal,  he  tells  me 
that  the  white  people  live  without  any  forms  of 
law;  but  in  general  are  very  honorable  in  paying 
their  debts,  and  give  notes  and  bonds.  They  have 
no  sheriffs,  constables,  fees,  nor  taxes  to  pay.  They 
profess  to  be  very  hospitable  to  strangers,  and  kind 
to  one  another.  No  breaking  each  other  up  for 
debts.  Here  are  no  distilleries,  no  drunkenness, 
nor  much  swearing.  They  seem,  indeed,  to  be  a 
very  happy  people.  They  have  large  droves  of 
horses  and  cattle,  who  graze  on  the  green  grass  all 
winter;  and  there  is  no  other  cost  or  trouble  to 
raise  stock,  than  to  keep  them  from  going  wild. 
The  greater  part  of  our  American  mountain  men, 
and  some  of  their  Indian  women,  have  joined  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  are  good  citi- 
zens. In  this  country  there  are  about  four  classes 
of  people:  ist.  The  Hudson  Bay  Company,  mostly 
Canadians.  2d.  The  New  England  missionaries. 
3rd.  The  French  farmers,  mostly  Catholics.  4th. 
The  mountain  men,  who  have  settled  along  the 


58     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

Willamette  River.  At  Vancouver,  they  keep  a  large 
quantity  of  goods,  which  they  sell  very  cheap.  Eng- 
lish ships  come  in  about  twice  a  year.  They  belong 
to  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  and  exchange  their 
goods  for  beaver,  and  other  skins,  flour,  beef,  and 
pork.  There  was  lately  a  very  serious  circumstance 
took  place,  with  a  man  named  Monger,  one  of  the 
mechanics  of  the  Presbyterian  mission,  who  con- 
sidered that  he  was  a  great  prophet;  and  said  that 
if  he  were  to  burn  himself  to  death,  God  would  raise 
him  up  again.  To  test  the  truth  of  what  he  said, 
he  went  into  a  shop,  by  himself,  where  he  made  a 
great  fire,  and  then  hauled  out  the  coals,  and  laid 
down  upon  them.  His  wife  being  in  another  part 
of  the  house,  heard  him  making  a  great  noise,  and 
ran  into  the  room,  and  found  him  struggling  in  the 
pangs  of  death.  She,  with  the  help  of  some  others, 
got  him  out  of  the  fire.  He,  then  saw  his  dreadful 
delusion,  and  prayed  to  the  Lord  to  forgive  him. 
He  lived  three  days  after  this,  and  then  expired. 
He  had  always  appeared  to  be  a  sincere  man,  and 
we  hope  that  the  Lord  heard  his  prayer  and  for- 
gave him.  How  careful  ought  Christians  to  be  to 
shun  the  delusions  of  the  devil ! 

The  Roman  Catholics  here  appear  to  be  buying 
the  good  will  of  the  people  by  presents,  and,  I 
believe,  are  trying  to  get  the  control  of  the  Indians. 
I  fear  our  missionaries  are  too  scornful  toward  the 
poor,  naked  Indians;  indeed,  too  much  so  with  all 
the  poor  people. 

^  JANUARY  25th.  I  offered  a  few  thoughts  on  jus- 
tification and  redemption  in  their  class-room.  My 
mind  is  a  good  deal  troubled  about  the  difficulties 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  59 

of  my  returning  home.  These  words  came  very 
forcibly  to  my  mind:  "Let  not  your  hearts  be 
troubled:  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me." 
These  were  great  words  of  joy  and  comfort  to  my 
soul.  I  could  not  for  a  moment  doubt  the  promise 
of  God.  Why  am  I  not  more  resigned  to  suffer  all 
things  that  come  upon  me? 

Next  Sabbath  I  went  out  to  Mr.  Rowe's,  about 
sixteen  miles,  to  preach;  but  the  appointment  had 
fell  through.    Went  that  night  to  Dr.  Bailey's,  and 
returned  next  day  to  the  mission.  My  knees  became 
very  painful  with  rheumatism.     I  went  to  brother 
Abernathy's  who  used  me  very  well.     I  then  went 
around  among  the  people;  but  had  very  hard  and 
dry  times.     O,  why  is  "the  god  of  this  world"  so 
much  reverenced?     Why  is  it  that  these  mission- 
aries, who  are  sent  here  to   convert   the   Indians, 
cannot  find  any  time  to  do  it?    These  poor,  tawny 
sons  of  the  forest,  wandering  about  with  no  kind 
shepherd  to   watch  over   them,   are   often   driven 
from  door  to  door.     They  look   dirty    and    filthy, 
which  does  not  suit  the  delicate  feelings  of  the  peo- 
ple.   They  are  often  heard  to  pray  for  the  Indians, 
yet  they  do  but  little  for  them.     "But  we  intend," 
say  they,  "when  we  get  better  fixed,  to  do  some- 
thing for  them;"  and  some  of  them  say,  "We  ought 
to  have  higher  salaries,  and  then  we  could  do  more 
for  them.    But  we  must  take  good  care  of  our  own 
household,  .for  'charity  begins    at    home/  "      One 
Indian  said,  "What  did  white  men  come  here  for, 
if  they  could  not  bear  with  poor  Indian  ?    Why  do 
they  not  try  more  to  learn  us  the  good  book?"  They 
often  reply,  "We  will  do  something  when  we  get 


60     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

ready."  These  poor  Indians  almost  starve  for 
something  to  eat,  which  causes  them  to  steal,  and 
then  they  often  get  whipped  for  it.  The  poor  things 
know  but  little  about  farming,  and  their  game  is 
nearly  gone.  I  know  not  what  the  consequence 
will  be.  They  have  great  complaints  against  the 
white  people,  seeing  they  know  not  what  plan  to 
fall  upon  to  make  their  living,  and  the  white  peo- 
ple are  killing  all  their  game. 

I  staid  a  few  days  at  brother  Holeman's  and 
tried  to  shave  shingles  three  or  four  days,  but  it; 
hurt  my  knees  so  much  that  I  had  to  quit  it.  I  then 
tried  the  cross-cut  saw  three  or  four  days,  but  this 
also  hurt  my  knees  so  that  I  could  not  stand  it. 
Brother  M'Cadden,  brother  Hines,  and  his  wife, 
and  brother  Campbell  and  his  wife,  gave  me  some 
articles  of  clothing,  which  were  very  acceptable.  I 
hope  the  Lord  will  reward  them.  Here  I  saw  a 
scene  of  distress  which  shocked  me.  There  came 
a  company  of  poor,  starved  Indians  through  the 
mud,  and  finding  an  old  horse  of  Jason  Lee's 
which  had  died,  they  cut  him  up,  and  carried  him 
off  with  joyful  looks  and  glad  hearts,  although  the 
carcass  was  so  stinking  that  we  could  hardly  come 
near  it,  and  the  hogs  and  dogs  had  been  eating  at 
it. 

I  will  now  give  a  short  account  of  the  missions 
in  Oregon: 

First.  The  highest  up  is  the  Catholic  mission, 
on  the  Columbia  River.  Mr.  de  Smidt,  and  two 
other  priests,  are  stationed  there.  They  have  bap- 
tized a  great  many;  six  hundred  the  first  winter, 
and  a  great  many  more  since.  Mr.  Blancet,  on  the 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.     61 

Willamette,  has  a  great  many  French  and  Cana- 
dians. 

Second.  The  Presbyterian  mission — Dr.  White- 
man's  and  Mr.  Gray's.  They  have  a  respectable 
congregation  of  Indians;  yet  they  have  had  some 
trouble,  and  have  had  their  lives  threatened  by  the 
Indians.  They  have  begun  a  very  good  farm,  and 
the  past  summer,  raised  about  six  hundred  bushels 
of  wheat,  and  a  small  crop  of  corn ;  about  one  hun- 
dred bushels  of  all  kinds  of  melons,  pumpkins,  cu- 
cumbers. All  kinds  of  vegetation  seem  to  grow 
well.  Some  timber  and  beautiful  plains  all  about, 
and  a  small  mill.  The  natives  are  mostly  of  the 
Skyuse  Indians.  They  are  making  small  progress 
in  farming.  Mr.  Spaulding,  on  the  Snake  River, 
among  the  Nezperees,  is  doing  well,  and  is  learning 
the  Indians  to  farm;  and  his  wife  is  learning  the 
women  to  spin  and  weave.  They  have  begun  to 
raise  flocks  of  sheep.  Mr.  Walker  and  Mr.  Smith 
are  missionaries,  some  distance  apart,  and  are  try- 
ing to  teach  the  Indians.  Next  is  Mr.  Griffin,  at  the 
Qualitine  Plains ;  but  he  is  not  doing  any  thing. 

Third.  Is  the  Methodist  missions.  The  first  is 
Mr.  Frost,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River, 
among  the  Chenooks  and  Klackamus  Indians,  be- 
low Fort  George;  but  there  is  nothing  doing  there 
for  the  Indians.  Brother  Cohen,  one  of  the  preach- 
ers, has  feft  there. 

Fourth.  In  the  care  of  Dr.  Richmond,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Columbia,  at  the  Puget  Sound, 
among  the  Nisqually  Indians ;  who,  it  is  said,  have 
chiefly  left  there. 

Fifth.     The  station  at  the  Falls  of  Willamette, 


62  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

where  brother  Waller  is  the  preacher,  and  brother 
Wilson  the  mechanic.  These  are  of  the  Klackamus 
Indians.  Brother  Waller  preaches  almost  every 
Sabbath,  but  seems  to  do  but  little  good.  There  is 
no  society  there.  They  say  that  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic priests  prejudice  the  minds  of  the  Indians 
against  them.  Brother  Waller  and  brother  Wilson 
are  very  much  enthralled  in  working  and  trading, 
and  have  but  little  time  to  do  any  thing  for  the 
Indians.  Perhaps  times  may  soon  alter. 

Sixth.  At  the  Dalles,  or  Narrows,  on  the  Colum- 
bia River.  Brother  Daniel  Lee  and  brother  Per- 
kins, preachers,  and  brother  Brewer,  farmer.  They 
have  had  a  great  many  under  their  influence,  and 
some  souls  have  been  converted.  They  have  a  tol- 
erably good  society.  Brother  Lee  and  brother  Per- 
kins seem  very  diligent  in  traveling  round,  and 
preaching,  and  I  believe  are  faithful  men.  They 
were  assisted  by  a  blacksliding  preacher  (Mr. 
Wright),  who  was  reclaimed  amongst  them,  and 
the  Lord  blessed  his  labors  in  that  place.  They  are 
about  building  a  log  house  to  preach  in.  They  have 
got  a  small  farm,  and  raise  some  wheat,  and  made 
about  four  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes  this  sum- 
mer. This  is  a  very  hilly  place,  but  healthy.  Good 
salmon,  and  other  fish,  in  abundance. 

Seventh.  Brother  Jason  Lee's,  on  the  Willa- 
mette River,  surrounded  with  beautiful  plains. 
They  are  among  the  Callapooyan  Indians.  They 
have  considerable  business  going  on,  and  own 
herds  of  cattle.  Their  mission  cattle  number  about 
three  hundred  head.  It  is  somewhat  sickly  here. 
Mr.  Jason  Lee  is  the  superintendent,  and  brother 


TO UR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  63 

Lasley  and  brother  Hinds  the  itinerant  preachers. 
Brother     Lee    has    lost    his     second    wife,     and 
brother  Laslie  his  first.     Brother  Shepphard  died. 
Brother    Parish,    is   a   blacksmith   and   preacher; 
brother  Babcock,  doctor  and  class-leader;  brother 
Abernathy,  store-keeper;  Mr.  Raymond   and   Mr. 
Bears,   farmers;  brother  Whitcomb,   very   sickly, 
and     not    able    to    do    any    thing.      They    have 
about    two   hundred    acres   of  land   under    culti- 
vation, and  hire  Indians  to  work  for  them.    They 
live  in  good,  warm  log  houses,  and  have  plenty  to 
live  on,  and  live  well ;  have  as  good  horses  to  ride 
as  any  men  in  this  country,  and  generally  ride  ac- 
cording to  the  customs  of  this  country — that  is,  go 
in  a  full  gallop ;  and  they  dress  as  well  as  any  other 
set  of  gentlemen  in  the  Oregon  Territory.    In  this 
station  there  are  neither  Indian  schools  nor  Indian 
meetings  this  winter.     The  Indians  appear  to  be 
getting  a  little   shy   of   them,   and   distant.      The 
French  farmers  and  French  Catholics  accuse  them 
of  being  too  unfriendly  to  strangers,  and  the  poor. 
Brother  Babcock  told  me  they  were  willing  to  re- 
ceive me  as  a  man,  but  not  as  a  preacher,  because 
I  had  not  a  recent  recommendation  from  the  pre- 
siding elder.     Truly,  I  did  not   look   much   like  a 
preacher ;  for  after  traveling  three  thousand  miles, 
my  old  linsey  coat  looked  very  shabby.     But  many 
of  the  people  about  there  said,  if  I  had  worn  as  fine 
a  coat  as  Dr.  Babcock,  I  would  have  been  very  well 
received.     I  felt  contented;  but  was  very  sorry  to 
see  some  of  them  so  high-minded,    and   doing   so 
little  in  the  cause  of  God,  and  fear  they  have  lost 
the  spirit  of  their  station,  and  have  turned  their 


64  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

attention  too  much  to  speculation.  I  leave  this  to 
be  determined  in  the  day  of  judgment;  but  fear  the 
bad  example  of  some  here  will  do  great  hurt  to  the 
heathen. 

Eighth.  The  new  station  at  the  mill,  nine  miles 
above  the  old  station,  on  the  Willamette  River,  sit- 
uated on  a  delightful  plain,  beautifully  studded 
with  green  groves  of  fir  trees,  and  having  a  creek 
running  through  it,  with  a  grist-mill  and  a  saw- 
mill, which  sunnlies  the  country  all  around  with 
grinding  and  lumber.  Here  we  see  herds  of  cattle 
grazing  on  the  plains.  Brother  Jason  Lee  is  super- 
intendent of  the  whole.  Brother  Judson,  preacher 
and  mechanic,  who  labors  very  hard,  has  charge 
of  the  mills.  Brother  Auley,  preacher  and  me- 
chanic, also  labors  hard,  with  a  number  of 
hired  men,  working  at  the  school-house.  They  are 
about  building  a  large  seminary,  which,  if  com- 
pleted and  properly  conducted,  may  be  of  great  ser- 
vice. Here  brother  Lee  has  held  some  Indian 
meetings,  in  a  small  shantee  near  the  mill.  I  at- 
tended with  him  at  some  of  the  meetings,  and  the 
Indians  behaved  very  well.  Some  others  and  my- 
self exhorted  after  him.  Brother  Campbell  is  class- 
leader,  and  brother  Hinds  sometimes  meets  the 
children  in  another  shantee.  Here,  I  thought,  there 
were  too  many  missionaries  living  in  one  place.  It 
may  be  brother  Lee  is  right  in  keeping  them  all  to- 
gether, but  I  thought  differently.  Brother  Lasley 
and  brother  Hinds  stay  too  much  at  home,  and  only 
preach  sometimes  on  Sunday.  I  have  not  seen  any 
Indians  converted  here,  nor  do  I  know  of  any. 

I  was  now  about  beginning  to  fit  up  for  my  re- 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.          65 

turn  to  the  States,  it  being  the  ist  of  March.  This 
seemed  a  long  and  tedious  winter  to  me.  Brother 
Sutton,  brother  Campbell,  and  brother  Judson, 
drew  up  a  small  subscription,  and  made  up  plenty 
to  supply  me  on  the  road.  Brother  M'Cadden  and 
brother  Larrison  gave  orders  to  Dr.  Whiteman  to 
give  me  two  horses  on  the  head  of  Wallawalla 
River.  A  few  nights  before  I  started,  I  staid  with 
old  Mr.  Jervais,  a  Frenchman.  He  gave  me  a  de- 
tailed account  of  the  Indians,  who,  he  said,  were 
rapidly  diminishing  in  number,  and  wasting  away, 
on  that  side  of  the  Mountain.  He  had  lived  here 
most  of  his  time  for  thirty  years.  He  says  more  of 
the  Indians  have  died  within  ten  or  fifteen  years 
past,  than  formerly,  and  that  he  has  known  three 
thousand  to  die  in  two  years  on  the  Sacramento  and 
Maries  Rivers,  and  in  other  places  in  the  Oregon, 
mostly  with  the  ague  and  fever  and  venereal  dis- 
eases; together  with  the  effects  of  exposure  to  the 
wet  weather,  and  for  the  want  of  food.  Sometimes, 
he  says,  he  has  seen  whole  lodges  of  them  lying 
dead  together,  the  little  infants  sucking  the  breasts 
of  their  dead  mothers,  and  no  one  to  do  anything 
for  them;  that  he  has  known  them  to  kill  and  eat 
their  own  children,  when  almost  starved,  and  has 
known  an  Indian  to  choke  his  little  child  to  death, 
because  it  was  cross,  and  hindered  its  mother  from 
digging  roots,  which  are  their  chief  food.  A 
Frenchman  told  me  that  he  knew  three  Indians  to 
kill  eleven  men,  women  and  children,  and  live  on 
their  flesh  all  winter!  and  they  showed  him  their 
scaffold,  on  which  they  had  dried  their  flesh! 
Those  three  men,  he  said,  looked  fat  and  well.  Those 


66  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

poor,  wicked,  and  degraded  creatures,  seem  as  if 
destined  to  destruction.  They  are  always  at  war 
with  one  another,  and  sell  their  prisoners  for 
slaves,  as  the  white  people  of  our  slave  states  sell 
the  negroes.  What  a  monster  is  man  in  his  natural 
state,  without  cultivation,  or  religion! 

Those  Callapooyans,  on  the  Willamette  River, 
appear  to  be  a  lazy  and  degraded  people.  All  the 
rivers  between  the  Willamette  and  California,  are 
mostly  settled  with  uncultivated  people.  On  the 
Ambakaw  River  there  are  beautiful  plains,  which 
may  make  handsome  farms.  The  Yamhill  River 
also  affords  a  beautiful  prospect,  south  of  the  Wil- 
lamette. All  along  here,  the  country  is  settled  with 
Indians. 

APRIL  3d.  I  attended  sacrament  among  the  mis- 
sionaries. It  looked  like  a  cold,  lonesome  time.  I 
took  but  little  part  with  them,  but  wished  them  all 
well  in  my  heart ;  although  sorry  to  see  such  a  cold, 
indifferent  spirit  among  them.  Tuesday,  I  started 
down  the  river  in  a  canoe,  in  company  with  Jason 
Lee,  Lasley,  Rogers  and  Ross,  and  two  Indians. 
This  day  it  rained  on  us  all  day,  and  it  was  a  very 
cold  rain.  We  staid  with  Charles  Ross  that  night, 
on  the  bank  of  the  river.  The  next  day  we  had  a 
pleasant  time  to  sail,  and  reached  the  Falls  that 
night.  I  tried  to  preach  that  night  at  brother 
Hathaway's,  from  Luke  xii,  21 :  "Strive  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate."  Brother  Lee  and  brother 
Lasley  exhorted  after  me.  I  think  some  good  im- 
pressions were  made  on  the  minds  of  the  people. 
The  next  morning,  soon  after  we  started,  the  rain 
began  to  fall,  accompanied  with  high  wind.  We 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  67 

soon  found  ourselves  wet  and  cold;  and  the  river 
being  very  rough,  we  stopped  about  2  o'clock  and 
camped  under  some  fir  trees.  The  next  morning 
we  started,  and  reached  Vancouver  about  n 
o'clock,  and  camped  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  Here 
brothers  Lasley,  and  Lee,  and  Clark,  and  Rogers, 
went  and  lodged  with  Dr.  M'Laughlin,  the  great 
rich  man,  who  had  refused  on  a  former  occasion  to 
receive  me.  Here  I  staid  in  company  with  Ross, 
and  some  Indians,  with  the  property,  at  the  camp. 
It  was  very  cold,  rainy,  and  windy,  and  I  was  in- 
vited to  the  house  of  a  Scotchman,  who  kept  a  hos- 
pital near  our  camp,  and  was  well  provided  for  by 
Dr.  Douglass,  one  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  I 
felt  well  resigned  to  the  will  of  God,  whether  to  be 
exalted  or  abased. 

Mr.  Laslie  preached  at  M'Laughlin's  on  Sunday. 
He  tried  to  tower  very  high  before  the  nobility, 
but  seemed  to  have  little  power  to  his  preaching. 
Mr.  Lee  exhorted  after  him.  The  old  doctor 
M'Laughlin,  attended  meeting  with  his  Catholic 
brethren,  in  another  place.  He  appears  to  have  the 
uncontrolled  sway  of  all  the  people  around  the 
place  and  the  Fort,  mostly  Canadians,  French 
and  Indians.  His  hirelings  he  calls  his  ser- 
vants; and  they  all  appear  to  have  to  stay  with 
him  until  he  gives  them  a  discharge.  He  is  a 
wicked  old  sinner.  Our  Methodist  missionaries 
seem  very  much  at  home  with  him,  and  he  seems 
somewhat  kind  to  them,  I  suppose  for  self-interest. 
He  is  very  wealthy,  and  belongs  to  the  English 
company.  We  staid  nearly  ten  days,  expecting  a 
ship,  which  we  thought  had  some  letters  for  Jason 


68  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

Lee;  but  started  a  few  hours  before  the  ship  came 
in.  But  we  heard  the  roaring  of  the  cannon,  as  a 
signal  that  the  ship  was  coming  in.  We  lay  that 
night  about  ten  miles  from  Vancouver,  on  the  bank 
of  the  river.  The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  and 
we  lay  by.  On  Monday,  22d  of  April,  we  started 
up  the  river,  passed  a  place  called  Cape  Horn,  and 
some  high,  large  cliffs,  like  pyramids.  It  rained 
and  snowed  on  us  all  along  the  hills.  On  Wednes- 
day we  passed  the  Cascades.  In  two  places  we  had 
to  carry  our  canoes  and  baggage  about  half  a  mile, 
through  the  large,  rough  rocks  and  mud,  along  the 
bank  of  the  river.  While  we  were  busy  doing  so, 
the  Indians  stole  some  of  our  articles.  All  night  we 
lay  in  the  wet  and  cold,  the  rain  still  continuing  on 
us.  We  had  a  sort  of  tent-cloth,  which  did  but 
little  good.  We  kindled  a  fire  next  morning,  cooked 
breakfast,  made  some  coffee,  and  it  seemed  to 
nourish  us.  This  morning  we  heard  a  tremendous 
rumbling,  like  thunder,  but  found  it  was  the  rocks 
falling  from  the  cliffs. 

This  day  we  passed  some  very  dangerous  places 
on  our  route,  where  several  people  had  been 
drowned.  Here  Mr.  Lasley  showed  us  a  place 
where  he  and  his  company  had  been  overset;  but 
fortunately,  all  were  saved  but  one  child.  The  wind 
blew  fair,  and  we  hoisted  sail,  and  went  up  the 
river  very  fast.  The  waves  run  very  high,  and 
sometimes  ran  over  the  sides  of  our  canoe.  The 
next  day  we  reached  the  Dalles,  or  Narrows.  Here 
we  held  some  meetings,  and  I  felt  at  liberty  to  en- 
joy myself  among  Christians.  I  tried  to  preach 
to  them,  and  exhort.  These  kind  people  used  us 


TO  UE  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  69 

very  well,  and  seemed  full  of  zeal  for  the  cause  of 
God.  Here  the  Indians,  also,  seem  to  have  religion. 
Brother  Lee  and  brother  Perkins  seemed  to  be 
doing  much  good.  On  Sunday  night  I  proposed 
taking  the  parting  hand  at  a  prayer  meeting,  and 
to  bid  them  farewell  in  public.  Brother  Jason  Lee, 
brother  Lasley,  and  brother  Rogers  rose  up  and 
opposed  it,  yet  could  assign  no  reason  why;  but 
said,  we  are  all  determined  to  meet  in  heaven, 
without  giving  each  other  our  hands;  and  said 
further,  that  their  prayer  meeting  was  not  quite 
over,  which  I  thought  was  very  imprudent  in  them. 
They  hurt  some  feelings  by  it.  I  told  Mr.  Lee  the 
next  morning  that  I  thought  he  acted  very  impru- 
dently. He  had  been  too  full  of  vain  talk  while 
coming  up  the  river.  That  day  we  parted;  and 
Ross,  Rogers,  and  myself,  with  some  Indians,  pur- 
sued our  journey,  leaving  the  others  at  the  Dalles. 
We  hired  some  Indians,  with  their  horses,  to  carry 
us  up  to  Dr.  Whiteman's.  That  day  we  were  in 
sight  of  Mt.  Hood  and  Mt.  St.  Helena,  whose  tops 
were  covered  with  snow.  We  reached  De  Shutz 
River  after  dark,  and  it  was  too  deep  to  cross  that 
night.  It  rained  on  us  almost  all  night.  Next 
morning  we  arose,  wet  and  cold.  The  Indians  soon 
came  and  helped  us  over,  and  swam  our  horses 
across  by  the  side  of  their  little  tottering  canoes, 
for  which  we  gave  them  some  tobacco,  and  contin- 
ued our  journey  in  the  rain.  Came  to  the  Johndays 
River.  It  was  very  deep  and  full,  and  we  crossed 
in  the  Indian's  little  canoe,  and  swam  our  horses  as 
before.  That  night  we  camped  on  the  bank  of  the 
Columbia  River.  Next  morning  came  to  the  Uma- 


70  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

tilla  River.  It  was  also  very  full,  occasioned  by  the 
rain,  and  the  melting  of  the  snow.  The  Indians 
helped  us  across,  as  formerly,  and  we  paid  them  in 
tobacco.  These  Indians  are  the  Umatilla's.  About 
twenty  of  them  staid  with  us  part  of  the  night,  and 
I  sung  and  prayed  with  them,  and  exhorted  them 
to  turn  to  the  Lord  and  seek  for  religion.  A  young 
Indian  by  the  name  of  Elijah,  a  son  of  one  of  the 
chiefs,  who  could  talk  some  English,  had  obtained 
religion,  and  was  my  interpreter.  He  exhorted 
them  some  himself.  They  seemed  to  be  much 
affected,  and  were  very  friendly.  Next  day  we 
bought  some  fish  of  them,  and  starting  on,  passed 
the  Walla  walla ;  and  late  at  night  we  reached  some 
Indian  encampments,  where  we  lodged  with,  and 
bought  some  venison  of  them.  Next  day  we  trav- 
eled over  some  high,  rich  prairies,  and  saw  some 
beautiful  droves  of  Indian  horses;  and  that  night 
reached  the  Presbyterian  mission,  where  Dr. 
Whiteman  and  Mr.  Gray  live. 

Here  we  spent  two  weeks,  waiting  for  Mr. 
Grant  and  his  company.  I  lodged  with  Mr.  Gray, 
my  old  friend,  who  was  very  kind  to  me,  as  was 
also  his  wife.  Next  Sabbath  I  tried  to  preach  to 
the  people  here.  I  bless  the  Lord  for  opening  my 
way  by  good  friends. 

MAY  4th.  Coming  in  at  the  door  of  Mr.  Gray's 
house,  an  Indian  within  was  fixing  the  lock  of  his 
gun,  when  it  went  off,  just  as  I  was  stepping  up 
before  the  muzzle  of  it,  which  I  did  not  see.  I  had 
just  made  a  short  pause,  which  saved  me  from  be- 
ing shot  through  the  head.  I  bless  the  Lord  for 
his  mercy,  in  protecting  me  from  this  sudden  death. 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.          71 

This  evening,  Mr.  Edward  Rogers  arrived,  to  go 
with  us  to  the  United  States.  We  are  now  but  three 
in  number ;  but  I  hope  the  Lord  will  open  our  way. 
We  are  dreading  the  high  waters,  in  consequence 
of  the  snow  melting  in  the  mountains.  Here  we 
see  the  Indians,  both  men  and  women,  out  in  the 
plains  and  mountains  digging  roots,  to  dry  for  food 
for  themselves.  But  some  of  them  are  beginning 
to  make  little  farms,  and  raise  wheat.  Mr.  Walker 
and  another  missionary,  with  their  families,  have 
arrived  at  Dr.  Whiteman's,  having  come  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  miles  to  hold  an  annual  meet- 
ing. They  galloped  out,  about  four  or  five  miles 
into  the  plains,  to  amuse  themselves.  They  had 
with  them  a  coarse  violin,  which  was  poor  music 
on  Sunday.  They  read  two  sermons,  which  was 
all  the  preaching  that  was  done.  They  appeared 
very  dull  in  religion;  and  I  cannot  hear  them  say 
that  they  have  any  Indian  converts. 

The  Indians  have  no  ceremonies  in  their  mar- 
riages. When  the  young  woman  makes  the  match, 
the  young  man  gives  her  a  horse,  and  her  father 
gives  her  one  also.  This  ratifies  the  bargain 
between  the  two  young  people.  They  must  also 
have  the  consent  of  the  chief  of  that  tribe;  then 
they  are  considered  man  and  wife.  Among  other 
tribes  it  is  somewhat  different.  When  a  young  man 
of  the  Shiennes  marries  a  young  woman,  all  of  her 
sisters  are  counted  his  wives.  On  the  I7th  of  May 
we  started,  after  having  completed  our  outfit.  Each 
of  us  had  one  pack-horse  with  provision.  Mr. 
Gray  offered  to  furnish  me  with  every  thing  I 
needed,  without  charging  me  a  cent.  Mr.  Cornelius 


72     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

Rogers  also  offered  to  help  me ;  but  I  thanked  him, 
telling  him  that  Mr.  Gray  had  fully  equipped  me. 
Mr.  Rogers,  however,  was  very  helpful  to  me.  We 
went  on  seven  miles  that  day,  and  waited  for  Mr. 
Grant;  for  he  had  lost  twenty-one  of  his  pack- 
horses,  and  was  detained  hunting  them.  Next 
night  we  joined  company  with  him  on  Horse  Creek. 
His  company  was  composed  of  French,  and  In- 
dians, and  half  breeds,  mostly  Roman  Catholics. 
There  are  some  beautiful  prairies  about  here,  but 
no  timber  except  on  the  creeks,  where  there  was 
some  cotton  wood.  A  beautiful  creek  runs  through 
these  plains.  This  place  is  very  healthy,  and  well 
calculated  for  raising  horses,  cattle,  and  sheep. 
They  say  that  on  the  head  of  the  Wallawalla,  in 
this  country,  the  ewes  will  have  their  lambs  twice 
a  year,  and  young  heifers,  sixteen  months  old,  will 
have  calves.  Cattle  and  horses  need  no  feeding  in 
the  winter. 

Next  day  we  crossed  the  Umatilla  River,  and 
passed  the  farm  where  the  young  chief  lives.  Here 
is  good  land,  beautifully  diversified  with  low  hills. 
The  Indians  are  beginning  to  make  small  farms. 
The  chief  has  a  handsome  place,  and  a  tolerably 
good  house.  We  camped  about  six  miles  from  the 
Umatilla  River.  All  the  way  along,  we  could  see 
the  snow  upon  the  Blue  Mountains,  which  lay  on 
our  left  hand.  Here  we  passed  some  of  the  pret- 
tiest gangs  and  bands  of  horses  I  ever  saw  in  my 
life,  belonging  to  the  Indians.  Some  of  the  Indians 
own  four  or  five  hundred  head.  All  the  plains  and 
valleys  are  covered  with  green  grass  to  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  snow,  which  covers  the  moun- 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  73 

tains.  22d.  We  ascended  to  the  top  of  one  of  the 
spurs  of  the  Blue  Mountains,  where  we  passed 
some  snow  drifts,  and  descended  among  the  beau- 
tiful pine  trees.  We  lay  that  night  on  a  beautiful 
plain,  where  we  had  good  grazing  for  our  horses, 
and  plenty  of  wood,  and  good  water.  We  had  a 
heavy  frost,  and  some  ice,  that  morning.  That  day 
being  Sunday,  I  requested  Mr.  Grant  to  rest;  but 
he  said  he  had  got  so  far  behind-hand  that  he  was 
obliged  to  go  on.  On  Monday  night  we  reached 
the  Grand  Round.  This  is  a  beautiful  valley,  all 
covered  with  green  grass.  The  mountains  around 
it  are  covered  with  snow.  Here  the  pine  grows  on 
the  mountains,  but  none  in  the  plains.  This  is  on 
the  waters  of  the  Snake  River.  On  Tuesday  night, 
we  lay  on  the  waters  of  Powder  River.  There  is 
plenty  of  good  land  all  around  us,  and  good  water. 
Next  day  we  traveled  through  rich  plains,  and  the 
mountains  lay  on  our  right  hand,  covered  with  pine 
trees.  '  All  through  this  country,  good  mill-seats 
abound.  We  had  deep  waters  to  cross  all  along, 
caused  by  the  melting  of  the  snow  on  the  mount- 
ains. We  passed  some  banks  of  snow  that  were 
three  feet  deep.  We  had  rain  that  day;  and  at 
night  lay  on  a  branch  of  the  Powder  River.  We 
had  plenty  of  cold  water  to  drink,  and  plenty  of 
timber  to  make  our  fires.  Here  I  heard  it  thunder, 
for  the  first  of  any  consequence  since  last  June.  We 
crossed  the  main  Powder  River,  and  passed 
through  some  rich  land,  with  good  water,  and  large 
plains.  It  rained  on  us  that  day  also.  We  camped 
that  night  on  a  small  branch  of  Bruly  River,  and 
next  day  we  traveled  over  rough  ridges  and  hills. 


74     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

JUNE  ist.  We  stopped  on  Snake  River,  at  Fort 
Bois.  This  day  I  heard  some  dreadful  oaths  from 
Mr.  Grant,  about  some  threats  which  he  had  heard 
from  Mr.  Bridger,  one  of  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany, against  Fort  Hall ;  and  respecting  some  goods 
which  had  been  stolen  by  Mr.  Bridger's  company 
from  the  Hudson  Bay  Company. 

We  are  now  detained  on  Snake  River.  I  feel 
very  unpleasant  in  my  present  situation,  on  account 
of  the  noise  of  the  French  and  Indians.  The  French 
are  all  married  to  Indian  women.  We  started  on 
up  the  Snake  River,  where  we  were  tormented  with 
mosquitoes,  and  almost  stifled  with  dust ;  and  when 
chopping  some  wood,  I  struck  the  tomahawk  into 
my  shin-bone,  and  it  bled  very  copiously.  Mr.  Grant 
soon  came  up,  and  applied  some  medicine  to  it, 
which  stopped  the  blood,  and  it  got  well  in  a  few 
days.  Here  I  had  the  charge  of  three  horses  (one 
pack-horse)  and  my  gun  to  carry,  which  was  very 
fatiguing  to  me.  My  situation  seems  unpleasant; 
for,  instead  of  being  in  the  pulpit  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  I  am  packing  my  gun  on  my  back,  and  driving 
my  horses  before  me.  I  feel  much  worn-out  and 
tired.  My  eyes  were  almost  ruined  with  the  dust. 
Mr.  Grant  gave  me  a  piece  of  a  green  silk  veil, 
which  he  tore  from  his  own.  This  I  put  over  my 
eyes,  and  found  it  to  be  a  great  help  to  me.  Mr. 
Grant  has  been  very  kind  to  me,  although  he  is 
subject  to  intoxication.  After  leaving  Fort  Bois, 
we  crossed  Wyhee  River,  and  so  continued  up 
Snake  River. 

Here  an  unhappy  circumstance  occurred  with  an 
Indian  woman.  Her  husband  had  three  wives, 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  75 

and  had  turned  her  away  and  took  another  in  her 
place.  At  night  she  put  on  her  best  clothes,  made 
some  small  arrangements,  and  took  a  rope  and 
hung  hersejf  upon  the  corner  of  a  high  rock.  Her 
mother  passing  by  saw  her  hanging,  apparently 
dead,  and  soon  cut  her  down.  Mr.  Grant  was  im- 
mediately sent  for.  He  bled  her,  and  gave  her 
some  medicine,  and  she  came  to  again.  She  could 
not  speak  for  some  days.  What  villians  these  men 
are,  that  act  so  cruelly  toward  their  women. 

All  along  up  this  river  we  could  see  snow  on  the 
mountains,  while  we  were  suffering  with  heat  in 
the  plains.  Here  we  passed  by  the  Trois  Butes, 
which  were  on  our  right  hand.  We  hear  some 
unfavorable  news  about  the  hostility  of  the  Indians 
between  here  and  the  United  States,  and  we  have 
no  assurance  of  company  farther  than  Fort  Hall, 
except  one  man  besides  ourselves,  making  four  in 
all;  but  I  am  determined  to  persevere,  unless  my 
way  is  completely  stopped  up,  and  trust  that  God 
will  protect  me,  and  open  the  way  for  my  return — 
though  it  looks  dark  and  gloomy,  through  lone- 
some hills  and  valleys,  and  over  mountains  which 
reach  almost  to  the  clouds,  and  across  waters,  deep 
and  dangerous. 

Here  we  had  an  example  of  the  hardihood  of  the 
Indians.  One  of  their  women,  whose  husband  had 
gone  on  to  Fort  Hall,  staid  behind  the  company  by 
herself,  and  was  delivered  of  a  still-born  child,  and 
buried  it  in  the  sand ;  then  mounted  her  horse,  and 
came  on.  Some  of  the  company,  missing  her,  went 
back  about  seven  or  eight  miles,  and  met  her  com- 
ing on. 


76  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

THURSDAY,  JUNE  i6th.  We  arrived  at  Fort 
Hall.  Here  we  saw  the  Snake  Indians  holding  a 
dance  around  a  scalp,  which  they  had  taken  from 
the  Black  Feet  Indians.  They  had  set  the  scalp 
upon  the  top  of  a  pole.  Here  we  learned  from  the 
Indians,  that  the  Black  Feet  and  Crows  and  Sioux 
were  determined  to  kill  all  the  white  people  they 
could.  This  did  not  disturb  me  much,  for  I 
trusted  in  the  Lord,  that  he  would  be  with  me.  On 
Sunday  I  tried  to  preach  to  these  people,  who 
seem  to  be  hard-hearted  and  wicked.  Mr.  Grant 
was  drunk,  and  made  some  disturbance.  Here  I 
was  told  that  the  Sanpach  Indians  would  sell  their 
wives  for  horses;  and  sometimes  kill  their  horses, 
and  eat  them,  in  case  of  hunger.  Mr.  Eubanks, 
who  lived  in  Fort  Hall,  showed  me  a  woman  whom 
he  lived  with,  and  for  whom  he  had  given  two  hun- 
dred dollars. 

JUNE  28th.  We  left  Fort  Hall;  camped  with  a 
large  company  of  French  and  Indians,  who  were 
on  a  hunting  expedition.  Next  night  we  staid  on 
Ross  Creek.  Mr.  Shutz  is  now  our  leader.  Two 
Frenchmen  and  their  women  are  still  in  the  com- 
pany with  us.  We  staid  next  night  on  the  head 
waters  of  the  Pont  Neuf  River,  and  next  night  at 
the  Soda  Springs.  Next  day  we  traveled  twenty 
miles  up  Bear  River;  then  turned  to  the  left,  and 
left  Bear  River  to  the  right  hand.  We  saw  snow 
for  five  or  six  days  on  the  mountains,  whilst  in  the 
valleys  the  grass  is  much  burnt.  Next  day  we  left 
a  beautiful  stream  and  crossed  the  mountains.  We 
went  through  some  small  thickets  of  aspen  trees, 
and  some  pine.  We  saw  a  band  of  elks  and  ante- 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.          77 

lopes.  Staid  that  night  with  a  company  of  Ponark 
Indians,  on  a  creek  of  Ham's  fork  of  Green  River. 
We  traded  with  these  Indians,  exchanging  some 
tobacco  and  ammunition,  for  some  buffalo  skins, 
and  halters  for  our  horses ;  and  next  night  we  lay 
on  a  small  branch  of  Green  River. 

JULY  3d.  We  reached  Green  River  an  hour  after 
night,  where  we  expected  the  company  to  rendez- 
vous; but  found  nothing  there  but  one  dog.  We 
had  expected  some  company  from  there  to  the 
United  States. 

Here  I  was  told  that  the  Eutaw  Indians  wish  to 
have  a  missionary  to  come  and  settle  amongst 
them,  and  to  learn  them  to  raise  grain.  I  am  of  the 
opinion,  that  on  the  east  side  of  Big  Salt  Lake, 
that  Bear  River  empties  into,  would  be  a  great 
place  to  establish  a  mission,  and  well  calculated  for 
raising  all  kinds  of  grain.  It  is  good,  rich  land,  a 
well  watered  and  healthy  country.  Fish  and  fowls 
are  very  plenty.  A  beautiful  prairie,  about  one 
hundred  miles  long,  lies  between  the  lake  and  the 
mountain.  The  plains  are  covered  with  green 
grass  all  winter,  and  well  calculated  for  raising 
stock.  Some  pines  on  the  mountains,  and  cotton 
wood  along  the  creeks  and  rivers  that  flow  into 
the  lake.  There  is  plenty  of  salt  on  the  edges  of 
the  lake.  It  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
in  circumference,  and  lies  in  40°  north  latitude. 

From  Green  River,  we  turned  out  of  our  in- 
tended route,  and  went  about  a  southwest  course, 
in  order  to  avoid  the  Black  Feet  Indians. 

JULY  3d.  Reached  Bridgers  Fort.  Company 
had  left  for  the  United  States  about  thirty  days  be- 


78          TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

fore,  and  we  saw  nothing  there  but  three  little, 
starved  dogs.  We  saw  the  grave  of  an  Indian 
woman,  who  had  been  killed  by  the  Shiennes.  From 
here  we  could  see  the  mountain-tops  spotted  with 
snow.  Mr.  Shutz  began  to  talk  of  going  back ;  but 
still  I  felt  confident  that  there  would  be  some  way 
opened  for  me  to  get  back  to  the  United  States ;  for 
I  trusted  in  the  Lord.  This  night  I  was  somewhat 
alarmed  by  the  running  of  the  horses,  and  we 
thought  that  the  Indians  were  trying  to  steal  them ; 
but  next  morning  we  found  them  without  much 
trouble.  Next  day  we  had  a  rough  road  to  travel. 
We  came  to  a  beautiful  valley,  where  we  found  a 
fine,  cool  stream  of  water.  Next  day  we  traveled 
through  brush,  and  pine  saplings,  and  rocks,  and 
logs,  so  that  we  could  scarcely  get  along  with  our 
pack-horses.  We  went  through  piles  of  snow  two 
feet  deep,  and  camped  on  the  side  of  the  mountain. 
It  both  rained  and  snowed  a  little. 

Next  day  we  traveled  through  brush  and  logs 
and  rocks  till  12  o'clock,  and  only  gained  half  a 
mile.  Then  we  began  to  ascend  the  mountain.  The 
wife  of  one  of  the  Frenchmen  was  our  pilot.  She 
had  two  children  along;  one  tied  to  a  board,  and 
hung  to  the  horn  of  the  saddle,  and  the  other  in  a 
blanket,  tied  to  her  back.  When  we  got  to  the  top 
of  the  mountain,  it  was  raining  and  snowing  and 
thundering,  and  I  was  shivering  with  the  cold. 
There  are  elk  and  sheep  on  this  mountain.  There 
were  snow  piles  on  the  mountain;  and  yet  there 
was  green  grass,  and  flowers,  and  it  looked  like  the 
spring  of  the  year.  In  descending  the  other  side  of 
the  mountain,  we  passed  the  same  kind  of  loose 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.          79 

rocks  that  we  had  to  come  up  on.  It  was  very  dan- 
gerous on  account  of  the  rocks,  which  were  easily 
started  to  rolling  down  the  mountains,  endanger- 
ing the  legs  of  our  horses.  At  night  we  got  down 
to  a  beautiful,  clear  lake,  at  the  head  of  a  small 
creek  that  came  out  of  the  mountains.  Here  we 
staid  two  days.  Mr.  Miles  and  his  squaw  were 
both  taken  sick.  Mr.  Shutz  started  on  Saturday, 
by  himself,  to  go  to  Rubedeau's  Fort,  on  Wintey 
River. 

Next  day  (Sabbath),  Rogers  and  Ross  were 
anxious  to  start  on  to  Rubedeau  Fort.  I  gave  up 
to  go  with  them,  (not,  however,  without  some 
scruples  of  conscience  for  traveling  on  the  Sab- 
bath), as  I  was  anxious  to  know  the  prospect  of 
company  to  go  with  us  from  thence  to  the  States. 
So  we  started,  on  and  left  two  men  and  their  wives 
at  the  lake.  We  soon  got  lost,  having  no  pilot,  and 
had  to  travel  by  guess;  pressing  over  steep  hills, 
and  through  brush,  and  logs,  and  saplings,  and 
rocks.  Our  horses  were  almost  distracted  with 
swarms  of  flies.  That  night  got  to  a  small  prairie, 
by  a  small  stream,  where  we  staid  all  night.  Next 
morning  we  continued  our  way  through  logs  and 
brush  again,  and  got  to  the  brow  of  the  mountain, 
on  its  southern  declivity,  but  saw  no  way  down. 
We  went  back  and  forth  seeking  a  place  to  get 
down,  and  about  an  hour  before  sunset,  we  com- 
menced the  descent.  Our  horses  were  sometimes 
sliding  down  among  the  stones.  I  went  foremost ; 
and  while  leading  my  horse,  I  was  afraid  of  get- 
ting my  bones  broke  with  the  loose  rocks  that  were 
now  and  then  rolling  down  from  above.  We  scram- 


80  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

bled  along,  however,  till  we  got  down  to  the  base 
of  the  mountain,  after  dark,  which  was  about  a 
mile  and  a  quarter.  When  we  reached  the  bottom 
we  were  wet  and  cold,  and  found  that  we  had  lost 
four  of  pur  horses,  two  of  them  with  packs  on 
them.  Next  morning  we  found  them,  and  were 
glad  to  find  that  nothing  was  lost  but  my  saddle- 
blanket.  This  morning  we  had  some  frost.  We 
are  now  on  the  head  of  the  Wintey  River,  down 
which  we  pursued  our  journey  toward  Rubedeau's 
Fort.  About  two  miles  of  our  journey  was  almost 
impassable  for  the  brush,  and  logs,  and  rocks.  Then 
we  got  out  of  the  mountains  into  a  prairie,  and 
reached  the  Fort  about  2  o'clock. 

We  had  to  wait  there  for  Mr.  Rubedeau  about 
eighteen  days,  till  he  and  his  company  and  horse- 
drivers  were  ready  to  start  with  us  to  the  United 
States.  This  delay  was  very  disagreeable  to  me, 
on  account  of  the  wickedness  of  the  people,  and  the 
drunkenness  and  swearing,  and  the  debauchery  of 
the  men  among  the  Indian  women.  They  would  buy 
and  sell  them  to  one  another.  One  morning  I  heard 
a  terrible  fuss,  because  two  of  their  women  had  ran 
away  the  night  before.  I  tried  several  times  to 
preach  to  them ;  but  with  little,  if  any  effect. 

Here  I  heard  the  mountain  men  tell  of  the  mis- 
erable state  of  the  Indian  root-diggers.  Numbers 
of  them  would  be  found  dead  from  pure  starva- 
tion; having  no  guns  to  kill  game  with,  and  poor 
shelters  to  live  in,  and  no  clothing  except  some  few 
skins.  These  creatures  have  been  known,  when 
pressed  with  hunger,  to  kill  their  children  and  eat 
them !  and  to  gather  up  crickets  and  ants ;  and  dry 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.     81 

them  in  the  sun,  and  pound  them  into  dust,  and 
make  bread  of  it  to  eat!  These  creatures,  when 
traveling  in  a  hurry,  will  leave  their  lame  and  blind 
to  perish  in  the  wilderness.  Here  we  have  a  strik- 
ing example  of  the  depravity  of  the  heathen  in  their 
natural  state.  I  was  told  here,  of  a  Frenchman, 
who  lived  with  an  Indian  woman,  and  when  one  of 
his  children  became  burdensome,  he  dug  a  grave 
and  buried  it  alive!  At  another  time  he  took  one 
of  his  children  and  tied  it  to  a  tree,  and  called  it  a 
"target,"  and  shot  at  it,  and  killed  it! 

Mr.  Rubedeau  had  collected  several  of  the  In- 
dian squaws  and  young  Indians,  to  take  to  New 
Mexico,  and  kept  some  of  them  for  his  own  use! 
The  Spaniards  would  buy  them  for  wives.  This 
place  is  equal  to  any  I  ever  saw  for  wickedness  and 
idleness.  The  French  and  Spaniards  are  all 
Roman  Catholics;  but  are  as  wicked  men,  I  think, 
as  ever  lived.  No  one  who  has  not,  like  me,  wit- 
nessed it,  can  have  any  idea  of  their  wickedness. 
Some  of  these  people  at  the  Fort  are  fat  and  dirty, 
and  idle  and  greasy. 

JULY  2/th.  We  started  from  Rubedeau's  Fort, 
over  the  Wintey  River,  and  next  crossed  Green  and 
White  Rivers.  Next  night  we  lay  on  Sugar  Creek, 
the  water  of  which  was  so  bitter  we  could  scarcely 
drink  it.  Here  two  of  Rubedeau's  squaws  ran 
away,  and  we  had  to  wait  two  days  till  he  could 
send  back  to  the  Fort  for  another  squaw,  for  com- 
pany for  him. 

AUGUST  ist.  We  camped  under  a  large  rock,  by 
a  small  stream,  where  we  could  get  but  very  little 
grass  for  our  animals.  Next  night  we  lay  under 


82  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

the  Pictured  Rock,  and  being  sheltered  from  the 
rain,  slept  very  comfortably.  Next  day  we  trav- 
eled over  rough  roads  and  rocks,  and  crossed  the 
Grand  River,  a  branch  of  the  Colorado,  which  runs 
into  the  Gulf  of  California,  at  the  head  thereof. 
Next  day  crossed  another  fork  of  Grand  River, 
and  came  to  Fort  Compogera,  below  the  mouth  of 
the  Compogera  River. 

AUGUST  1 4th  (SUNDAY).  I  preached  to  a  com- 
pany of  French,  Spaniards,  Indians,  half  breeds, 
and  Americans,  from  Proverbs  xiv,  32:  "The 
wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness:  but  the 
righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death."  I  felt  the  power 
of  the  word,  and  I  believe  some  of  the  people  felt 
also.  I  spoke  plainly  and  pointedly  to  them,  and 
felt  as  though  I  would  be  clear  of  their  blood  in  the 
day  of  eternity. 

Next  day  we  started  to  go  through  New  Mexico, 
which  is  a  long  distance  out  of  our  route,  to  shun 
the  range  of  the  Apahoc  Indians ;  and  at  night  we 
camped  on  a  small  creek.  Tuesday  morning,  we 
started,  and  crossed  Union  River;  and  next  day, 
crossed  Lake  River,  and  lay  that  night  on  a  small 
creek.  Here  are  good,  clear  streams  of  water; 
but  rough,  hilly  roads — rocky,  sandy,  and  gravelly ; 
good  grazing  for  our  animals  all  the  way. 

AUGUST  i  Qth.  We  could  see  snow  on  the  mount- 
ains. We  had  a  very  cold  .rain.  Next  day  we 
came  to  Rubedeau's  wagon,  which  he  had  left  there 
a  year  before.  He  hitched  his  oxen  to  it,  and  took 
it  along.  This  morning  my  moccasins  were  frozen 
so  hard  I  had  to  thaw  them  by  the  fire  before  I 
could  put  them  on.  Here  we  had  reports  of  In- 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  83 

dian  hostilities  having  commenced  near  Sante  Fe, 
in  New  Mexico.  Rubedeau  sent  on  an  express  to 
see  whether  it  was  so,  and  found  it  to  be  a  false 
report. 

SUNDAY,  2Oth.  The  frost  was  like  a  little  snow. 
My  blanket,  which  I  used  for  a  tent-cloth,  being 
rained  on  the  night  before,  was  now  frozen  quite 
stiff  and  hard.  We  left  this  beautiful  plain,  which 
lies  between  two  mountains,  with  a  fine  stream  of 
water  running  through  it.  How  different  my  feel- 
ings were  on  this  Sabbath  day,  with  my  gun  on  my 
shoulder,  and  my  butcher-knife  and  tomahawk  by 
my  side,  in  this  heathen  land,  than  they  would  have 
been  in  the  pulpit  with  my  Bible  and  Hymn-Book 
in  my  hand.  On  Sabbath  evening  I  tried  to  preach 
to  them;  but  being  wet  and  cold  after  traveling 
through  mountains  and  plains,  we  had  but  little 
satisfaction.  Next  morning  my  blankets  and 
moccasins  were  frozen  hard  again.  Some  snow  and 
rain  fell  during  the  night.  I  pray  God  to  give  me 
more  faith,  more  patience,  and  more  courage  to 
preach  the  Gospel. 

We  are  now  on  the  waters  of  the  Del  Norte 
River,  which  falls  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  are 
passing  the  North  Mountain.  We  are  now  travel- 
ing down  Tous  Valley,  which  leads  down  to  Tous 
(a  Spanish  village)  and  Sante  Fe.  This  is  a  beau- 
tiful valley,  about  eighty  or  a  hundred  miles  long. 
We  remained  sometime  in  this  valley,  encamped 
by  some  beautiful  streams  of  water,  waiting  for 
the  express  to  return.  We  then  traveled  for  sev- 
eral days  about  a  south  course,  and  encamped  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Tous.  Here  I  tried  in  vain  to 


84  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

persuade  our  company  to  leave  Rubedeau;  for  he 
would  detain  us  too  late,  as  winter  was  coming  on. 
It  will  be  recollected  that  there  were  only  four  of 
us  in  company,  bound  for  the  United  States;  and 
Rubedeau  had  hired  three  of  them  to  stay  with 
him. 

We  are  now  in  New  Mexico,  surrounded  by 
Spaniards.  They  live  in  little  houses  covered  with 
mud.  The  sides  are  mostly  of  posts  set  in  the 
ground,  and  filled  up  with  mud.  In  these  houses 
they  are  warm  and  comfortable,  on  their  dirt 
floors.  Some  of  them  build  their  houses  with  what 
they  call  "dobbeys,"  made  of  mud,  in  the  shape  of 
brick.  Here  are  beautiful,  clear  streams  of  water, 
and  a  very  healthy  country.  It  is  no  uncommon 
thing  for  th^.  Spaniards  in  this  region  to  live  to  the 
age  of  a  hundred  years.  Their  crops  are  mostly 
wheat.  They  sow  it  in  the  spring,  and  their  har- 
vest comes  on  in  September.  They  have  no  fences 
around  their  farms;  for  every  farmer  that  has 
stock,  keeps  herdsmen  to  guard  his  flocks.  And, 
like  ancient  shepherds,  they  have  large  flocks  of 
sheep  and  goats,  to  watch  both  day  and  night.  The 
milk  and  meat  of  the  goats  are  part  of  their  food, 
and  they  also  make  excellent  cheese  of  the  milk.  I 
went  out  to  see  them  making  molasses  from  their 
small  corn-stalks.  They  ground  them,  and  then 
pressed  out  the  juice,  and  boiled  it  into  molasses. 
A  great  part  of  their  ground  they  water  by  dig- 
ging small  channels,  to  convey  the  water  to  their 
farms.  Mr.  Turley,  who  lives  here,  has  a  mill  and 
distillery,  and  makes  a  great  many  drunkards. 
Here  the  time  seems  to  pass  away  very  heavily.  I 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  85 


feel  very  restless  and  lonesome,  and  want  to  be 
traveling  towards  home.  These  Spaniards  are  all 
Roman  Catholics,  and  live  neatly  and  cleanly  in 
their  houses. 

We  started  on  for  Bent's  Fort,  which  is  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant,  on  the  Ar- 
kansas River.  We  traveled  a  north  course,  up  the 
valley  which  we  came  down  before.  We  have  now 
furnished  ourselves  with  provisions,  and  have 
nothing  to  hinder  us ;  and  we  mean  to  travel  on  as 
fast  as  we  can.  We  saw  Mr.  Collins,  who  said  he 
had  been  chased  by  the  Indians.  He  was  one  of 
the  trappers,  and  had  come  nearly  the  same  route 
which  we  had.  We  crossed  some  high  spurs,  and 
saw  it  raining  from  the  dark  clouds  below  us.  We 
heard  the  thunder  roaring  and  saw  the  lightning 
flashing,  while  the  sun  was  shining  brightly  where 
we  were.  That  night  we  reached  Red  River,  near 
where  some  Spanish  shepherds  kept  their  sheep, 
where  we  lodged  all  night.  Next  day  traveled  up 
the  same  valley,  where  we  saw  the  Two  Butes, 
which  we  had  seen  twenty  days  before. 

SEPTEMBER  3d.  At  night  we  reached  Tous 
Mountain.  Here  were  plenty  of  bears,  deers,  and 
antelopes.  That  day  it  rained  on  us,  and  we  were 
wet  and  cold.  Next  day  we  crossd  Tous  Mountain, 
and  camped  on  a  small  river,  a  branch  of  the  Ar- 
kansas; on  the  next  day  crossed  the  Arkansas 
River,  and  camped  there  that  night.  We  then 
went  down  through  the  plains.  We  staid  on  the 
Arkansas  two  nights,  and  saw  bands  of  buffaloes. 


86     TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

We  now  meet  a  great  many  travelers.  This  is 
poor  sandy  land. 

SEPTEMBER  i6th.  We  reached  Bent  Fort,  Ar- 
kansas River.  We  now  have  warm  days  and  cool 
nights.  I  tried  to  preach  on  two  Sabbaths;  once, 
from  Revelation  vi,  17:  "For  the  great  day  of  his 
wrath  is  come;  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand?" 
There  was  a  Baptist  preacher  present,  who  was  a 
backslider;  who,  as  I  afterwards  learned,  took 
notes  of  my  sermon,  and  spoke  his  sentiments  on  it 
after  I  was  gone.  These  people  were  wicked,  and 
would  play  cards  and  billiards  on  the  Sabbath.  But 
they  were  very  civil,  friendly,  and  kind  to  me. 
There  was  not  as  much  swearing  and  drunkenness 
as  at  other  places  I  had  passed.  Here  we  heard 
of  eight  men  being  killed  this  summer  on  this  side 
of  the  mountain,  by  the  Indians,  at  different  times ; 
two  of  whom  had  been  killed  on  the  route  we  had 
come  along.  At  one  time  we  had  some  trouble 
with  our  horses,  they  having  strayed  away.  We 
had  one  more  added  to  our  company— a  Mr. 
M'Carty.  Here  I  bought  some  sugar  and  coffee, 
for  each  of  which  I  gave  two  dollars  a  pound ! 

I  have  now  about  fourteen  hundred  miles  to 
travel  before  I  reach  home.  Five  of  us  started  on 
the  26th  of  September,  to  wit:  Solomon  P.  Sub- 
lette,  A.  Shutz,  James  Ross,  Mr.  M'Carty,  and  my- 
self. We  passed  seventy  or  eighty  lodges  of  the 
Shiennes  Indians,  as  we  came  along.  A  lodge  is 
made  of  about  eight  or  nine  elk  skins,  dressed  and 
sewed  together,  and  stitched  over  poles  sunk  in 
the  ground,  and  fastened  at  the  top.  This  makes  a 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  87 

good,  warm  house  to  winter  in.  One  of  these  will 
hold  about  twelve  or  fifteen  persons.  The  first  day 
we  started,  we  traveled  down  the  river  about  four- 
teen miles  and  camped.  We  have  about  seven  hun- 
dred miles  to  travel  to  get  to  the  United  States, 
through  a  very  dangerous  route,  on  account  of  the 
Pawnee  and  Camanche  Indians.  Next  night  we 
ate  supper  after  sun-down;  then  started  and  trav- 
eled about  five  or  six  miles  out  into  the  prairie,  and 
laid  down  and  slept  without  fire,  in  order  not  to  let 
the  Indians  know  where  we  were.  Here  we  saw 
droves  and  bands  of  buffaloes  and  wolves,  some 
droves  a  mile  long,  pleasantly  grazing  on  the  beau- 
tiful plains.  Sublette  shot  down  a  young  bull,  by 
which  we  got  plenty  of  fresh  meat.  Every  night 
we  were  disturbed  by  the  howling  of  the  wolves, 
and  the  noise  of  the  buffalo  bulls.  One  night  I 
heard  a  noise  near  my  bed;  and  throwing  my 
blanket  off  of  my  head,  beheld  a  wolf  standing  close 
by  my  side;  but  as  I  moved  he  instantly  sprang 
away.  Next  morning  we  started  by  'daylight. 
That  day  we  saw  hundreds  and  thousands  of  buf- 
faloes feeding  on  the  plains  on  both  sides  of  the 
river. 

OCTOBER  ist.  We  stopped  to  kill  and  dry  meat. 
We  traveled  for  fourteen  days  without  being  out 
of  sight  of  buffaloes.  We  had  some  cold,  windy 
days,  and  camped  in  the  open  prairie  every 
night.  We  always  traveled  several  miles  after 
dark,  and  left  the  road  and  lay  all  night  with- 
out fire;  then  rose  before  day,  and  pursued  our 
journey.  One  evening,  after  sunset,  as  we  were 


88  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

about  starting,  a  grizzly  bear  came  galloping  up, 
and  stood  upon  her  hind  feet.  One  of  the  men 
quickly  shot  her  down.  As  we  came  along,  the 
small  prairie  dogs  would  come  out  of  their  little 
holes,  which  they  had  dug  in  the  ground,  barking 
at  us.  This  day  we  saw  thousands  of  buffaloes  and 
antelopes,  quietly  feeding  along  the  plains ;  and  we 
also  saw  gangs  of  black,  white,  gray,  and  prairie 
wolves.  After  we  crossed  the  Pawnee  fork  of 
little  Arkansas,  we  saw  no  more  buffaloes.  We  saw 
a  company  of  the  friendly  Caw  Indians,  who  told 
us  that  the  Pawnees  were  all  gone  off.  We  traded 
some  with  them. 

Here  my  mind  was  burdened  on  account  of  some 
of  my  company,  who  indulged  in  profane  swearing 
and  ill  language.  We  got  to  the  Council  Grove, 
and  remained  there  parts  of  two  days,  and  two 
nights,  and  traded  some  with  the  Indians.  This 
grove  is  about  one  hundred  miles  from  the  state  of 
Missouri,  in  a  fine,  rich  country.  The  bottoms  are 
well  timbered,  and  are  about  a  mile  wide;  timbered 
with  walnut,  hickory,  ash,  hackberry,  sycamore, 
cherry,  and  pawpaw,  which  is  the  first  of  this  sort 
of  timber  that  I  have  seen  since  I  left  the  States. 
Here  we  got  some  honey  from  the  Indians,  which 
was  the  first  I  tasted  since  I  left  Missouri.  Here 
will  be  a  beautiful  country,  if  it  is  purchased  by 
the  United  States,  which  is  probable,  as  the  In- 
dians are  now  talking  of  selling  out. 

Next  morning  we  started,  and  traveled  six  miles, 
when  Subletted  horse  took  sick,  and  the  company 
agreed  to  stop  for  that  night.  Being  anxious  to  get 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  89 


home,  I  left  them,  and  traveled  on  sometime  after 
night,  and  lodged  by  myself,  in  a  grove,  by  a  small 
creek.  I  was  somewhat  alarmed  at  seeing  fire  at  a 
distance  before  me;  and  thinking  it  to  belong  to 
Indians,  I  hitched  my  horses  and  went  to  it,  and 
found  it  was  only  some  logs  burning.  I  then  re- 
turned to  my  horses,  tied  them  up,  and  kindled  a 
fire  ;  cooked  my  supper,  and  ate  it  ;  then  committed 
myself  to  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  and  lay  down  to 
repose,  and  slept  comfortably  till  about  3  o'clock  in 
the  morning.  I  then  arose  and  started  on  my 
journey  (it  being  moonlight),  and  traveled  on  till 
next  night  without  halting,  except  to  let  my  horses 
eat  a  little  at  the  spots  of  grass.  The  plains  being 
burnt  over  by  the  Indians,  my  horses  were  almost 
starved.  I  traveled  that  night  about  two  hours 
after  dark,  then  took  up  my  lodging  in  a  grove, 
near  a  water  course.  The  night  being  wet  and 
rainy,  I  crept  under  a  large  log,  and  slept  comfort- 
ably. Next  morning  I  arose  about  an  hour  before 
day,  and  started;  traveled  about  eight  miles,  and 
came  to  where  four  men  (hunters)  were  camped, 
two  of  whom  were  Colonel  Boon's  grandsons.  It 
seemed  to  do  me  good  to  see  the  faces  of  white 
men.  They  invited  me  to  eat  breakfast  with  them, 
which  I  did,  and  felt  much  refreshed.  I  then  started 
on,  and  two  of  these  men  went  with  me,  and 
showed  me  the  way.  I  traveled  on,  and  reached 
Elm  Grove,  making  about  thirty  miles  that  day. 
Here  I  made  a  small  tent  of  willow  bushes,  which 
I  covered  with  my  blanket,  expecting  it  would 
rain.  I  then  ate  my  supper,  and  turned  out  my 


90  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

horses,  and  commended  myself  into  the  hands  of 
the  Lord,  as  usual.  I  awoke  about  3  o'clock,  and 
started;  missed  my  way,  and  became  somewhat 
bewildered,  but  soon  found  the  track  again.  I 
traveled  on  that  day  till  dark,  and  then  let  my 
horses  graze  a  little.  I  sat  down  and  went  to  sleep. 
On  awakening,  I  arose  and  took  the  back  track,  for 
my  head  seemed  to  be  turned  around.  I  traveled 
some  distance  that  way,  until  the  moon  rose.  I 
then  saw  that  I  was  wrong,  and  changed  my 
course.  I  had  traveled  nearly  all  this  day  without 
water,  and  kept  on  till  almost  midnight,  and  came 
to  a  small  pond  of  water.  I  drank,  and  after  eat- 
ing some  supper,  laid  down  and  slept  four  hours, 
leaving  my  horse  to  graze  on  the  burnt  plains.  In 
the  morning  started  again,  and  traveled  until  about 
10  o'clock,  which  was  on  the  Sabbath  day.  I  there 
found  water,  cooked  my  breakfast,  and  ate  and 
drank  joyfully.  Spent  a  while  in  prayer,  with 
thanksgiving  to  the  Lord,  who  had  preserved  me 
from  the  wild  beasts,  and  the  ruthless  hands  of  the 
heathen  Indians,  and  was  happy  in  my  soul.  I 
then  traveled  on,  and  reached  the  Shawnee  mission 
that  evening.  On  this  day  I  saw  an  Indian  coming 
from  the  plains  in  a  gallop,  and  thinking  he  might 
be  an  enemy,  I  soon  loaded  my  gun ;  but  he  turned 
another  way.  When  I  reached  the  Shawnee  mis- 
sion, I  can  hardly  describe  my  feelings  of  gratitude 
that  I  had  once  more  reached  the  land  of  civiliza- 
tion. This  is  just  on  the  Missouri  state  line.  The 
people  came  out  to  see  the  old  man,  who  they  all 
thought  was  dead,  and  would  return  no  more. 


TOUR  TO  OEEGON  TERRITORY.  91 

That  evening  I  went  to  meeting,  and  heard 
brother  Berryman  preach ;  and  an  Indian  preacher 
exhorted  after  him,  who  seemed  to  speak  very 
lively.  They  both  spoke  in  the  Indian  language. 
Next  morning  I  disburdened  myself  of  my  cook- 
ing utensils,  and  other  baggage,  which  were  now 
useless  to  me,  and  purchased  some  few  necessary 
articles  out  of  the  store.  I  then  exchanged  two  of 
my  horses  for  one,  with  brother  Evans;  but  when 
I  saddled  him,  and  mounted,  he  ran  away  with  me 
and  threw  me  off ;  but  God  preserved  my  life,  and 
I  was  not  hurt.  I  then  gave  the  horse  up,  as  he 
would  not  suit  me,  and  next  morning  I  traded  three 
of  my  horses  for  one,  they  being  poor,  and  almost 
starved  to  death,  having  traveled  three  hundred 
miles  over  the  burnt  plains,  where  there  was  but 
very  little  grazing.  I  resumed  my  journey  on  the 
25th  of  October,  and  rode  to  Independence;  tried 
to  preach  to  a  few  at  night.  Here  I  staid  with 
brother  Pertee  and  brother  Ford,  who  told  me  that 
they  never  expected  to  see  me  again.  Here  I  met 
with  Mr.  Rickman,  one  of  the  company  who  had 
traveled  to  Bear  River,  and  had  parted  with  us 
there  to  go  to  California.  He  had  just  returned  to 
the  settlements.  We  were  very  glad  to  see  each 
other,  although  we  had  parted  with  some  degree  of 
strife.  Next  night  I  reached  brother  M'Kinney's, 
who  was  a  Methodist  preacher.  Felt  myself  very 
comfortable.  Next  night  came  to  brother  Harri- 
man's,  an  old  Methodist;  and  next  night  to  War- 
rensburg,  and  staid  with  brother  Davis.  Next  night 
staid  at  brother  Walker's,  and  preached  there.  The 


92  TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

next  day,  which  was  the  Sabbath,  staid  for  class 
meeting  among  the  blacks.  There  appears  to  be  a 
great  work  of  religion  among  the  black  people.  I 
hear  of  great  revivals  all  along  here.  I  preached 
that  night  to  them  again.  The  black  people  seem 
to  have  the  power  of  religion.  I  staid  that  night 
with  brother  Forbus,  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine. 
Next  day  reached  brother  North's.  They  were 
very  kind  to  me.  I  traveled  on  for  several  days, 
and  reached  St.  Louis,  meeting  with  many  of  my 
old  acquaintances.  Staid  all  night  at  William 
Subletted.  Met  with  Col.  Benton,  a  member  of 
Congress,  and  had  some  talk  with  him  about  the 
proposed  occupation  of  the  Oregon  Territory.  He 
said  he  intended  to  do  all  he  could  in  Congress  for 
the  encouragement  of  the  settling  of  that  country. 
Here  I  was  very  kindly  treated.  Next  day  crossed 
the  Mississippi,  and  went  to  brother  Ludwick's,  a 
Methodist  preacher.  They  seemed  glad  to  see  me. 
Continued  on  to  brother  Wollard's,  where  I  had 
staid  before.  Here  I  felt  comfortable.  There  I 
heard  of  the  death  of  my  brother,  Robert  Williams, 
who  lived  in  Tennessee.  Still  traveled  on,  crossed 
the  Wabash,  and  went  through  Terrehaute.  Staid 
at  brother  Gray's,  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine. 
Meeting  kind  friends  every  night,  I  reached  Wood- 
bury,  and  staid  at  brother  Needham's.  He  and  his 
wife  had  joined  the  Methodists,  and  have  professed 
to  experience  religion  since  I  had  been  there  before. 
I  preached  twice  there,  and  felt  comfortable.  Sun- 
day following,  I  preached  in  a  small  town,  and 
dined  with  Dr.  Burnet.  That  night  preached  at 
Bridgeport,  and  staid  at  brother  Kelley's ;  and  next 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.          93 

day  passed  through  Indianapolis,  and  staid  at 
brother  Rector's,  a  Methodist  preacher.  Here  I 
felt  refreshed.  Next  day  I  went  through  Shelby- 
ville,  and  staid  at  night  with  brother  Henry  Fisher, 
who  was  an  old  itinerant.  I  was  very  joyful  to  see 
him,  not  having  seen  him  for  thirty  years  before. 
He  is  still  on  his  way  to  heaven.  For  several  days 
past  I  have  had  some  extremely  cold  weather  to 
travel  in,  and  some  rainy  days.  This  morn- 
ing I  started,  and  brother  Fisher  went  a  few 
miles  with  me.  The  company  of  our  old  Meth- 
odist preachers  seems  very  refreshing  to  each 
other.  After  brother  Fisher  left  me,  the  wind  be- 
gan to  blow  and  the  snow  to  fall,  which  made  it 
very  disagreeable.  I  reached  home  about  10 
o'clock  at  night,  and  found  my  children,  that  were 
at  home,  all  well. 

I  now  look  back  at  my  travels,  and  see  the 
promise  of  the  Lord  verified :  "I  will  not  leave  thee, 
nor  forsake  thee."  I  can  see  the  toilsome  and  dan- 
gerous way  I  have  traveled;  the  many  lonesome 
and  sleepless  hours  I  have  spent  in  the  mountains 
and  on  the  plains,  where  nought  but  the  wolves  and 
the  owls  broke  the  silence  of  the  night,  and  nothing 
but  the  wide-spread  canopy  of  heaven  over  me. 
For  upwards  of  seven  months  in  succession,  I  have 
not  slept  in  a  house ;  have  lived  among  the  heathen 
and  wild  beasts  the  last  two  summers;  and  have 
tried  to  bear  testimony  to  the  name  of  Jesus  in  the 
mountains,  on  the  plains,  on  the  hills  and  in  the 
valleys,  wherever  sinners  were  to  be  found.  I  am 


94          TO  UR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY. 

now  advanced  in  years,  and  the  evening  of  life  is 
at  hand.  My  travels  and  troubles  will  soon  be 
over;  and  ere  long,  I  expect  to  take  up  my  per- 
manent abode  in  the  high  realms  of  glory ; 

"And  range  the  blest  fields  on  the   banks   of   the 

river, 
And  shout  hallelujah!  for  ever  and  ever." 

JOSEPH  WILLIAMS. 


THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS. 

There  mountains  high  in  grandeur  rise, 
That  almost  pierce  the  arched  skies ; 
The  vales  beneath  are  dark  and  low, 
Where  streamlets  murmur  soft  and  slow. 

'Tis  there  the  panther's  loudest  yell 
Re-echoes  to  the  distant  hills — 
There  hungry  bears,  with  angry  growl, 
And  famish'd  wolves,  with  dismal  howl, 

In  fearful  sounds  they  seem  to  tell, 
That  there's  no  place  for  man  to  dwell: 
But  man  will  have  a  dwelling  there, 
In  spite  of  panther,  wolf,  and  bear. 

There  rivers  flow  both  deep  and  wide — 
Along  the  vales  in  grandeur  glide ; 
And  often  swell  with  angry  waves, 
To  threaten  men  with  watery  graves. 


TOUR  TO  OREGON  TERRITORY.  95 

But  still  the  desert  we  pass  through, 
And  bring  the  Savior's  death  to  view ; 
The  Word  on  craggy  mountains  preach, 
With  many  prayers  and  tears  we  teach. 

Some  hut  or  camp  to  shield  my  head, 
With  no  kind  friend  to  give  me  bread ; 
Though  wet  and  cold,  I  lay  me  down, 
To  slumber  on  the  chilling  ground. 

Souls  shall  from  these  mountains  rise, 
To  deck  our  crowns  above  the  skies; 
If  they  by  us  are  brought  to  know 
That  God  can  pardon  sins  below. 

My  soul  has  caught  the  heavenly  flame, 
While  musing  on  this  glorious  plan, 
Of  calling  sinners  home  to  God, 
To  know  and  taste  a  Savior's  love. 


